The Kanahā study extends from Kaʻa east to Papaʻula Point to include Kanahā Beach County Park in the center of the area. The Kanahā area shoreline is comprised of white sand beach broken by 11 boulder groins at Kanahā Beach installed prior to 1950* to retain and stabilize the shoreline. The presence of these groins effectively divides the study area into three regions for description purposes. Offshore, fringing reef exists with stranded beach rock benches located at Papaʻula Point.
The Kanahā study area has experienced pockets of erosive and accretive trends, but the average over all rates in the area is 0.1 ft/yr. The western portion of the study area (transects 442 – 476) includes Kaʻa and its five groins, and has experienced mild accretion with an average rate of 0.1 ft/yr. The center portion of the study area (transects 478 – 550) contains eleven more groing, and includes most of Kanahā Beach. This region is highly variable due to the presence of the groins and their effects. As a region, this section of shoreline has experienced moderate accretion with an average rate of 1.0 ft/yr. To the east, updrift of the numerous groins of Kanahā Beach, are Spreckelsville and Coral Beaches1 (transects 552 – 593). Offshore of Coral Beach at Papaʻula Point are two beach rock benches. These beaches have experienced moderate to severe erosion over time with an average rate of -1.8 ft/yr.
*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 Planning Coastal Zone Management Program.
Last updated: July 2021
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