Posted on March 6, 2019
Photo Courtesy of the Department of Land and Natural Resources
WAIMEA — The state is planning to dredge the mouth of the Waimea River in mid-March, and on Wednesday there’s a meeting set to bring the public up to speed on the project.
The goal is to remove 15,000 cubic yards of sand from the existing rivermouth and restore the natural depth and discharge of the river into the ocean.
It’s a project that was completed four times in 2011, 40 times in 2017 and 27 times in 2018; triggered when the river gets plugged and the water rises to what the state Department of Land and Natural Resources Engineering Division deems a “critical level.”
“The contractor tries to remove just enough sand by scooping the inland side of the sand blockage until the force of the backed-up water pushes its way to the ocean. The amount of sand varies depending on the condition,” said AJ McWhorter communications specialist with DLNR.
Usually, these projects happen between July and October, when the south swell waves push sand into the rivermouth and there isn’t enough rain to push the sand back out naturally.
The same occurs, when needed, at some of the more than 50 canals, streams and rivermouths that connect with the ocean on Kauai — the ownership of which is a mixed-bag of private, county and state, according to county spokespeople.
The goal with the dredging projects, including the Waimea Rivermouth clearing project, is to reduce the risk of flooding and stagnation of the water upstream.
The dredged and wet sand will be stockpiled and dried, and then moved to Kikiaola Beach, which will replace the eroded beach and protect the shoreline, according to DLNR.
The meeting regarding the clearing of Waimea Rivermouth is from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Waimea Neighborhood Center, 4556 Makeke Road.
Source: thegardenisland.com
