Work Set to Clear Waimea River Mouth 

With the sun about to set behind Ni‘ihau, the Forbidden Island, a paniolo, or Hawaiian cowboy, rides his horse and pulls another in Waimea, Kaua‘i’s Westside. Photo by Robert Kennedy

In an effort to restore the Waimea River’s natural discharge into the ocean, crews plan to remove 15,000 cubic yards of sand from the existing river mouth and restore its natural depth, according to a recent news release from the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.

DLNR is hosting a public information meeting on Wednesday, March 6 to provide a brief overview of the planned construction activities. It is scheduled from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Waimea Neighborhood Center at 4556 Makeke Road in Waimea.

The maintenance project is scheduled to start in mid-March of 2019. The project is intended to reduce the risk of flooding and the stagnation of river waters upstream. Dredged/wet sand will be stockpiled within a bermed area for drying and then will be moved to Kikiaola Beach. Dry excavated sand will be transported directly to Kikiaola Beach. The sand placement will replenish the eroded beach and protect the shoreline.

Anyone with special needs requiring accommodations or assistance is asked to contact Valerie Suzuki, DLNR Project Engineer at (808) 587-0275 in Honolulu at least four days prior to the public meeting.