Kahala Shoreline

8/9/2019 Kahala Shoreline

1/65

Kahala ShorelineCutting Specific Native Vegetation

Promotes ErosionMay 5th, 2008 June 18th, 2008

By: Stanton Johnston, 62 year resident of Kahala


2/65

Kahala Beach on a normal day.

Naupaka is natures seawall.


3/65

Low Tide

32 feet


4/65

Extreme High Tide


5/65

Medium High Tide


6/65

Debris Line


7/65

Ocean will access well into the

shorelines protecting foliage


8/65

Before cutting Naupaka on right


9/65

State demands the cutting of natural

seawall that protects the shoreline.

DLNR Photo


10/65

Resident at 4623 Kahala Avenue

follows orders


11/65

Removal begins


12/65

Shoreline now exposed to erosion.


13/65

Path to beach has changed.


14/65

Beach exposed to soil contamination.


15/65

Cut-back completed.


16/65

Before High Tide


17/65

High Tide

Erosion Obvious


18/65

Water now removing shoreline.


19/65

Erosion Evident


20/65


21/65


22/65


23/65


24/65


25/65

Soil & Debris Pollution


26/65

Shoreline drastically changed.


27/65


28/65


29/65

Almost 2ft. of erosion.


30/65

Private property eroded by approx. 6ft.


31/65

Beach formerly at top of footing.


32/65

Salt water kills plant & tree roots.


33/65

This happened overnight!


34/65

Result after Naupaka removed


35/65


36/65


37/65

Bank continues to erode - other

vegetation now threatened.


38/65

Through erosion all Naupaka in this

section was claimed by ocean


39/65

First heavy rain will add to attrition.


40/65

Threecoconut

treesnow

in

peril!

x

# 1


41/65

x

#2 #3

x


42/65

Hunakai Beach Access

Erosion


43/65

Other locations eroding as well, such

as 4607 Kahala Avenue.


44/65

The Hau at 4615 Kahala Avenue

shouldbe cut back.


45/65

Hau encroaches


46/65

blocking the beach access.


47/65

Hau does not prevent erosion.

N k di i h l


48/65

Naupaka dies with salt exposure,

somewhat containing its spread.

Before: Cost of this cutback $6 500 00


49/65

Before: Cost of this cutback $6,500.00

DLNR Photo

Aft


50/65

After: High Tide stilllimits beach access,regardless of cutback.

High water mark

for last high tide.

D i hi h tid b h i till


51/65

During high tide, beach is still

dangerous, cutback has no effect

The public should not be encouraged


52/65

The public should not be encouraged

to traverse the beach during

dangerous high tides

N k th h


53/65

Naupaka armors the shore,

which deters erosion.


54/65

Hunakai Access


55/65

This is only a periodic high tide

Heavy rain, extreme high tide, storm


56/65

Heavy rain, extreme high tide, stormsurf, hurricane and tsunami

will be MUCH worse.


57/65

Sand may temporarily return

Shoreline wont return damage is


58/65

Shoreline wont return, damage is

irreversible.


59/65

Kahala Beach 1949

Beach has since

disappeared


60/65


61/65

Kahala Beach 1967

UH SOEST Erosion Chart


62/65

UH SOEST Erosion Chart

SOEST

School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology


63/65

Erosion - Accretion


64/65

How to solve the problem:

1. Rescind the demand for cutting of native Naupaka in erosionprone areas.

2. Approach the situation of beach vegetation on a case-by-casebasis, and not by using a global approach of removal.

3. Cut back the encroaching Hau which does not contribute to

erosion prevention but impedes beach access.4. Recommend erosion prevention methods to help stabilize theshoreline, to include an incentive for the planting of indigenouserosion preventing vegetation.

5. Establish a committee to look into the causes of the Kahala Beacherosion and accretion, to include the hiring of an independent

investigator to try and answer the question Why.6. Consider the availability of funds from City and County, State of

Hawaii, Federal agencies and the private sector for independentresearch and possible beach replenishment and other remedies.


65/65

Summary: Cutting of the native Naupaka in erosion prone areas does not produce any significant

beach access, but leads to serious attrition problems which puts the public, residentsand property at risk.

The public should not be encouraged to walk down a beach or access the murky and

treacherous waters at very high tide, as it is dangerous.

We have a lot to learn about our changing island and ever-changing environment.

Nature has a natural way of protecting our resources, which we must respect. We need

to protect our beautiful beaches or lose them forever. To pass on a Hawaii withoutsandy beaches to generations to come would be a terrible tragedy.

We have unfortunately learned by recent example, the tragic loss of a section of Kahala

shoreline.

The sand may temporarily return but the shoreline will not. This damage is irreversible.

If you remove natures native armor of the shoreline, it will increase erosion, pollute theocean, help kill the reef, and ultimately our beach will disappear. We see severe

evidence of this happening right now.

Access to our beaches should be provided to everyone but not at the expense of

forever losing our natural beach due to government mismanagement. Please reconsider

the cutting directive of native Naupaka in erosion prone areas.

Documents

Kahala Shoreline