Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Local expertise needed for sea

The Maui News
July 8, 2008

Mess with Mother Nature - particularly nearshore waters - and you're sure to run into one of Newton's laws - for every action there is an equal reaction. Since so little is known about how the ocean floor is affected by storms and work on the shoreline, messing with Mother Nature can also result in unintended consequences.

Those who know say the only sure way to maintain beaches is to move all building away from the shoreline since the formation of inland dunes helps hold shoreline sand during periods when there is natural erosion and replenishment. Of course, humans being humans, they want to build as close to the water as possible, and when property starts disappearing they want to hold the line with seawalls, groins and other armoring.

Those who know say armoring coastlines just results in less beach - if not on the spot, then down the coast a bit. The jury is still out on various methods of replacing sand that has disappeared.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources has approved an experimental beach...

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