Building a seawall along Wailua Golf Course will be a great disadvantage to the coast. “Seawalls are one of the most destructive types of hard stabilization. Once waves begin breaking against a seawall, turbulence generated by the abrupt release of
Building a seawall along Wailua Golf Course will be a great disadvantage to the coast. “Seawalls are one of the most destructive types of hard stabilization.
Once waves begin breaking against a seawall, turbulence generated by the abrupt release of wave energy quickly erodes the sediment on its seaward side. Where seawalls have been used to protect property on barrier islands, the seaward slope of the island beach has steepend and the rate of erosion increased. In essence seawalls destroy recreational beaches.” (Oceanography, Thurman-Trujillo, Pg. 321) Building a seawall is not the answer. The fact is that we are living on a volcanic island that is continually eroding. A seawall will only speed the erosion process.
“Eventually, the cost of repairing or replacing seawalls will be more than the property is worth and the sea will claim more of the coast through the natural process of coastal erosion.” (Oceanography, Thurman-Trujillo, Pg. 321)
Alika Grady, Kalaheo
