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Erosion management plan for Maalaea to be discussed

The Maui News

A project to develop an erosion management plan for Maalaea will be discussed during a community meeting at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 9 at the Maui Ocean Center Dome, the county announced Monday.

Initiated by the Maalaea Village Association, the project seeks a management plan for coastal erosion at Maalaea Bay Beach by exploring the feasibility of coastal resilience strategies, including erosion mitigation options and relocation of threatened structures, according to a county news release. The project region includes an area from Maalaea Harbor to Haycraft Park.

Beginning around Sept. 30, Honolulu-based contractors from Moffat & Nichol will conduct sand study work offshore of Maalaea Bay Beach, supplementing field work conducted last year. The follow-up sand study work will assess the quality of sand deposits in the nearshore area. During work, passersby may see a small boat and crew working in nearshore waters off of Maalaea, the county said.

To explore coastal resilience options, the Maalaea Village Coastal Resilience and Erosion Management Plan will consider next steps and proactive options for protecting at-risk properties and infrastructure as well as preserving the coastal ecosystem and shoreline access.

High rates of historical shoreline erosion have been documented for Maalaea Bay Beach, according to the county. Condominium complexes along Hauoli Street built close to the shoreline prior to coastal management programs are threatened by coastal hazards. Existing shoreline hardening structures are deteriorating, and some are scheduled for removal or limited temporary repairs.

Coastal erosion in Hawaii is a continuing and worsening problem in the face of sea-level rise, with 85 percent of Maui shorelines experiencing long-term erosion, the county said.

This project is being facilitated by the County of Maui Department of Planning with technical assistance from the University of Hawaii Sea Grant Program, funding support from the Maui County Council and partnership support from the Maalaea Village Association.

The public can also participate in the Nov. 9 meeting virtually by registering for the Zoom link at www.tinyurl.com/2p8dwbrn.

For more information, contact Erin Derrington, County of Maui senior shoreline planner, at erin.derrington@co.maui.hi.us, and Tara Owens, coastal processes and hazards specialist, with the UH Sea Grant College Program, at taram@hawaii.edu.

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