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Coastal Erosion Mitigation Activities: Maui County

The following is a list of agencies and programs in Hawaii that are taking steps to mitigate coastal erosion. Click here for an additional list of suggested mitigation options for agencies.

Office of the Mayor

Mitigation Activities:

  • Honokanaia Beach Park Sand Replenishment
  • Sheraton at Kaanapali used 20-foot long, connected posts to encourage sand to naturally come back

Maui County Planning Department

Mitigation Activities:

  • Large scale sand mining prohibited (1986).
  • Revised the shoreline setback rules to require some building setbacks to be based on average lot depth (1990).

Coastal Zone Management Program

The Hawaii Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Program includes protecting beaches for public use and recreation and locating new structures inland from the shoreline setback to conserve open space and to minimize loss of improvements due to erosion.

Mitigation Activities:

  • Aerial Photograph Analysis of Coastal Erosion
  • Shoreline Hazard Mitigation District (Honokowai Beach, Maui)

Coastal Lands Program, Department of Land and Natural Resources

The Board of Land and Natural Resources established the Coastal Lands Program within DLNR's Land Management Division in November 1997.

The purpose of the program is to establish a comprehensive framework to protect and conserve the state's beaches. The framework is recorded in the Coastal Erosion Management Plan.

Mitigation Activities:

  1. In 1999, DLNR created the Beach Restoration Fund. This special fund holds revenues for the purpose of restoring beaches and appropriated $250,000 for the purpose of preparing plans and taking actions for beach restoration.

Beach Management Plan for Maui

The Plan seeks to promote beach preservation and sustainable development of the coastal zone. The Plan has identified areas for implementing more effective beach management practices.


U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)

Provides scientific data to resource managers so that they can make informed decisions about the impact natural hazards (such as coastal erosion) have on lives and property.

Mitigation Activities:

  • Gather baseline information on coastal natural resources.
  • Study coastal change using remote sensing and ground measurements and observations.

US Army Corps of Engineers

  • Launiupoko Shore Protection - completing construction documents