Address Severe Coastal Erosion on North Shore O'ahu

The erosion of our beaches is a serious problem nationwide and the North Shore of Oʻahu is one of the “hot spots” for severe coastal erosion in Hawaiʻi. The majority of beaches on the North Shore (73%) are presently undergoing chronic erosion with progressive inland movement of shorelines, leading to seasonal and permanent beach loss.

Approximately two-and-a-half miles of beachfront residential North Shore properties are within 20 feet or less of the shoreline, which is deemed an “emergency” by state standards. 

The rate of erosion, due to the increasing intensity and frequency of flooding and storms related to climate change, is putting great pressure on the balance between the protection of private land ownership and the conservation of our beaches and public trust resources.

Surfrider O'ahu is building a network of stakeholders, researchers, and government agencies to outline actionable strategies to address the severe coastal erosion that has led to the collapse of multiple properties onto public beaches in recent years. Our priorities are as follows:

1. Build community awareness and facilitate engagement: Surfrider and University of Hawai'i Sea Grant will reinstate the North Shore Coastal Resilience Working Group, a community-driven group that aims to address beach erosion and improve coastal resilience on Oahu's North Shore. 
   
2. Work with inter-agency decision making government groups: Work with groups such as the Climate Change Mitigation Commission, Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands, alongside research groups such as the Institute for Sustainability and Resilience and School of Ocean and Earth Science Technology to help develop trigger based adaptation pathways including structural relocation. There is currently no government framework to work with oceanfront property owners to incentivize retreat or even lay out a mechanism to facilitate it.