Confronting Shoreline Erosion on Oahu

Hawaii Sea Grant's work featured in U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit

Each winter, massive waves attract surfers and visitors to the North Shore of O‘ahu in Hawai‘i. Some years, the waves cause severe erosion, and continuing sea level rise will accelerate this issue. Residents and the state are taking steps to preserve homes and beaches.

Government agencies and homeowners from Sunset Beach sought guidance from Dr. Bradley Romine, a coastal geologist and coastal management specialist with the University of Hawai‘i Sea Grant College Program and the Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources. Recently, Romine has grown accustomed to taking calls from homeowners when waves start eroding into their shorefront property. Where possible, he suggests ecological, or “soft,” approaches to shoreline protection as an alternative to hard structures. In answer to questions about the North Shore issue, Romine explained that soft approaches have the potential to protect homes while simultaneously preserving beaches. 

Read the full story in the U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit