The Pākalā study area is located on the south west shore of Kauaʻi. The area extends to the south from the Waimea River to include Pākalā Point. The shoreline is composed of terrestrial and carbonate sand beaches, rocky shoreline, and basalt headlands. The area is exposed to swell from the south and southwest during the summer as well as persistent tradewinds.
There are several sections within the Pākalā study area defined for analysis and description. In the southern portion of the area, to the south of the small barge landing, there is a section of sandy beach (transects 64 – 71) experiencing erosion with an average shoreline change rate of -0.6 ft/yr. Pākalā Point (transects 94 – 96) divides an ephemeral beach (transects 73 – 133) into two sections for description purposes. The southern section (transects 73 – 94) is experiencing erosion with an average shoreline change rate of -0.5 ft/yr, while the northern section (transects 96 – 133) is accreting with an average shoreline change rate of 0.2 ft/yr.
Makaweli Landing lies between transects 133 and 135. It marks the southern extent of a large continuous sandy beach (transects 135 – 250) that is experiencing erosion with an average shoreline change rate of -0.2 ft/yr. The beach terminates at a low relief basalt rocky coastline (transects 251 – 254) that is occasionally fronted by sand. This section has experienced slight erosion with an average shoreline change rate of -0.1 ft/yr. The northernmost section of the study area (transects 255 – 263) fronts the remains of Russian Fort. The shoreline in this section is experiencing erosion with an average shoreline change rate of -0.3 ft/yr. Previous studies* did not analyze the Pākalā study area shoreline.
*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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