Salt Pond study area (transects 0 – 65) lies on the southwest exposure of Kauaʻi. The coastline of the area is characterized by basalt rock headlands and three pocket beaches of carbonate sand. The largest of these is Salt Pond Beach in the southeast of the area (transects 10 – 65). This beach is oriented west-southwest and is sheltered from the majority of wave activity by a shallow rock and beach rock bench offshore. The remaining two pocket beaches are directly exposed to summer wave swell from the south and southwest.
Shoreline change since 1928 at Salt Pond Beach is erosional with an average shoreline change rate of -1.1 ft/yr. To the northwest, the pocket beach at Pāweo Point (transects 3 – 7) has experienced erosion with an average shoreline change rate of -0.4 ft/yr. The pocket beach north of Kaumakani Point (transects 0 – 1) has experienced accretion with an average shoreline change rate of 0.3 ft/yr. Previous studies* did not analyze the Salt Pond area.
*Makai Ocean Engineering and Sea Engineering, 1991 Aerial Photograph Analysis of Coastal Erosion on the Islands of Kauai, Molokai, Lanai, Maui, and Hawaii. State of Hawaii Office of Coastal Zone Management Program.
Last updated: July 2021
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