Kahala Shoreline

Cutting Specific Native Vegetation

Promotes Erosion
May 5th, 2008 – June 18th, 2008

By: Stanton Johnston, 62 year resident of Kahala

Kahala Beach on a normal day.

Naupaka is nature’s seawall.

Low Tide

32 feet
Extreme High Tide
Medium High Tide
Debris Line
Ocean will access well into the
shoreline’s protecting foliage
Before cutting Naupaka on right
State demands the cutting of natural
seawall that protects the shoreline.

DLNR Photo
Resident at 4623 Kahala Avenue
follows orders
Removal begins
Shoreline now exposed to erosion.
Path to beach has changed.
Beach exposed to soil contamination.
Cut-back completed.
Before High Tide
 High Tide
Erosion Obvious
Water now removing shoreline.
Erosion Evident
Soil & Debris Pollution
Shoreline drastically changed.
Almost 2ft. of erosion.
Private property eroded by approx. 6ft.
Beach formerly at top of footing.
Salt water kills plant & tree roots.
This happened overnight!
Result after Naupaka removed
Same path to beach, now destroyed.
Bank continues to erode - other
vegetation now threatened.
Through erosion all Naupaka in this
section was claimed by ocean
First heavy rain will add to attrition.
 Three
coconut
trees
now
x
in
peril!
#1
 x x

#2 #3
Hunakai Beach Access
Erosion
Other locations eroding as well, such
as 4607 Kahala Avenue.
The Hau at 4615 Kahala Avenue
should be cut back.
Hau encroaches…
blocking the beach access.
Hau does not prevent erosion.
Naupaka dies with salt exposure,
somewhat containing its spread.
Before: Cost of this cutback $6,500.00

DLNR Photo
 After: High Tide still limits beach access,
regardless of cutback.

High water mark

for last high tide.
 During high tide, beach is still
dangerous, cutback has no effect
The public should not be encouraged
to traverse the beach during
dangerous high tides
Naupaka armors the shore,
which deters erosion.
Hunakai Access
This is only a periodic high tide…
Heavy rain, extreme high tide, storm
surf, hurricane and tsunami
will be MUCH worse.
Sand may temporarily return…
Shoreline won’t return, damage is
irreversible.
 Kahala Beach 1949

Beach has since

disappeared
 Kahala Beach 1949

Natural growth, plants

not watered or fertilized

Naupaka Kahakai
Johnston Residence
Kahala Beach 1967
 UH SOEST Erosion Chart

SOEST – School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology

Erosion - Accretion
 How to solve the problem:
1. Rescind the demand for cutting of native Naupaka in erosion
prone areas.
2. Approach the situation of beach vegetation on a case-by-case
basis, 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 the
shoreline, to include an incentive for the planting of indigenous
erosion preventing vegetation.
5. Establish a committee to look into the causes of the Kahala Beach
erosion 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 independent
research and possible beach replenishment and other remedies.
 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, residents
and 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 without
sandy 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 the
ocean, 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.