Beach Restoration

Beach Restoration Project

Video courtesy of Clint and Yvonne Fisher and Linda Borg.

SUMMARY

OUR GOALS ARE TO:
🐠 Keep clean water in Napili Bay
🐠 Keep sand on Napili Beach
YOU can help in 2021 by making a tax-exempt donation TODAY!
SUMMER 2022 CHALLENGE:
🐠 Raise $42,000 for permit applications and shoreline certification
🐠 Raise $32,000 toward reef study
We can do it if we work together!

CURRENT BEACH SITUATION

The Coastal Erosion on the west shore of Maui has been accelerating in recent years due to rising sea levels and changing weather patterns. At Napili, 2017 was the year we saw brown water plumes from shoreline erosion along the upper beach and the first round of destruction of the public beach access stairs at the south end of the beach.

In July 2019, the results were even more disastrous as we witnessed the worst brown water event ever for Napili Bay, due solely to Coastal Erosion…not Rainfall! Since then, the total destruction of the south beach public access stairs, and damage to the fronts of Hale Napili, Napili Sunset and Napili Bay Resorts are obvious.

The loss of another 900 cu yds of beach sand during 2019 and 2020 means a thinner beach and greater vulnerability to high waves as each year passes. Even Napili Kai and The Mauian experienced damage to their beachside sidewalks during the past two years, and they are at the ‘big end’ of the beach.

WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE?

To restore the beach, coastal erosion experts recommend we:
🐠 Remove & replace all hard structures
🐠 Bring offshore sand back to the beach to create a buffer zone
🐠 Evaluate reef to prepare for restoration

WHERE ARE WE NOW?

We are currently applying for two new federal funding opportunities; very tough to get but we are applying for them to bring back the beach.

We also continue to work with Maui County officials on implementing a Community Facilities District for Napili as part of the local property tax bill which will help fund our beach restoration efforts.

Private donations and NBBF-sponsored fundraising events have been the sole source of revenue for all studies and permit preparation done from 2018 thru December 2022. Mahalo nui loa to all our donors and sponsors!

The long lead times to approvals for all necessary permits means the work has to continue with a concerted PUSH in Q2 2022 in order to restore the beach in Q3, 2023. The longer we wait, the more damage due to high wave run-up can be expected.

WHAT DO WE NEED IN 2022 to STAY ON TRACK FOR a Q3, 2023 BEACH RESTORATION?

We need more private donations to pay for:
... All additional permit applications and shoreline certification in 2022 = >   $ 42,000
... Reef study to prepare for reef restoration = >                                                    $ 32,000
                                                                                                                                        $ 74,000 = Doable!!