MAKE US YOUR HOMEPAGE | Saturday, November 21, 2009 | WIRELESS CONTACT US | SUBSCRIBER SERVICES | SIGN IN SIGN OUT | MY PROFILE PAGE | MY ACCOUNT

Home > News > Article

Newspaper View Newspaper View      Print this story Print      Email this story Email      Comment Comment      RSS RSS     
Share      Bookmark Bookmark

Hawaii sees its prized beaches vanishing

The ocean approaches foot- prints on Lanikai beach on Oahu Island's windward side. Hawaii geologists say more than 70 percent of Kauai Island's beaches are eroding, and a quarter of Oahu's shoreline has gone. Eugene Tanner / Associated Press
 
By AP Wire Services
Published: 11/15/2009  2:33 AM
Last Modified: 11/15/2009  4:52 AM

KAILUA, Hawaii (AP) — Jenn Boneza remembers when the white sandy beach near the boat ramp in her hometown was wide enough for building sand castles.

"It really used to be a beautiful beach," said the 35-year-old mother of two. "And now when you look at it, it's gone."

What's happening to portions of the beach in Kailua — a sunny coastal suburb of Honolulu where President Barack Obama spent his last two family vacations in the Hawaiian Islands — is being repeated around the islands.

Geologists say more than 70 percent of Kauai's beaches are eroding, and Oahu has lost a quarter of its sandy shoreline.

The problem is only likely to get significantly worse in coming decades, they warn.

"It will probably have occurred to a scale that we will have only been able to save a few places and maintain beaches, and the rest are kind of a write-off," said Dolan Eversole, a coastal geologist in the University of Hawaii's Sea Grant program.

The loss of so many beaches is an alarming prospect for Hawaii on many levels. Many tourists come to Hawaii precisely because they want to lounge on and walk along its soft, sandy shoreline.

Disappearing sands would also wreak havoc on the environment, for many animals and plants would lose important habitats.

Chip Fletcher, a professor of geology at the University of Hawaii, says scientists in Hawaii haven't yet observed an accelerated rate of sea level rise due to global warming.

Instead, the
erosion the islands are experiencing is caused by several factors, including a steady historical climb in sea levels that likely dates back to the 19th century.

Other causes include storms and human actions such as the construction of seawalls, jetties, and the dredging of stream mouths. Each of these human actions disrupts the natural flow of sand.

But a more rapid rise in sea levels caused by global warming is expected to contribute to erosion in Hawaii within decades.

In 100 years, sea levels are likely to be at least 1 meter, or 3.3 feet, higher than they are now, pushing the ocean inland along coastal areas.

The state is doing everything it can to keep the sand in Waikiki. For example, it's joining with hotels in the state's tourist hub on a plan to spend between $2 million and $3 million pumping in sand from offshore.
By AP Wire Services

Newspaper View Newspaper View      Print this story Print      Email this story Email      Comment Comment      RSS RSS     
Share      Bookmark Bookmark

Reader Comments
       Add your comment

1 comments have been made on this story so far. Tell us what you think below!

Report Comment Reporting Comments

If you see a comment that violates our terms and conditions, please help us by clicking the "Report this Comment" link next to a comment. That will alert the web staff to review the comment. Thank you.  -- Web Editor Jason Collington
 
 
Report Comment
gadfly, Broken Arrow (11/15/2009 11:00:58 AM)
I hope that Oklahoma Senator Inhofe reads this article and that you call him to have him explain why this is not associated with global warming.

That Oklahoman's continue to support this Oil Company poster boy is disgusting; and completely un-Christian (we are supposed to take care of our planet).
 

 
Add Your Comment 
In order to post a comment on this article, you must sign in to Tulsaworld.com. If you do not have a site account, you can create an account for free.

 
  
Post Your Comment
 


Most Popular Stories
Comments made yesterday 1,932
Total Comments 896,796
Register to make reader comments

Most Popular Stories




Tulsa World

Home | About Tulsa World | Advertise With Us | Privacy | Usage Agreement | FAQ and Help | Contact Us | Today's Headlines
Copyright © 2009, World Publishing Co. All rights reserved.




Advanced Search