Kikiaola Harbor weekend dredging work begins Saturday

KEKAHA — The Kikiaola Light Draft Harbor Project is expected to begin weekend dredging work starting today and ending sometime in late August, a Department of Land and Natural Resources press release said.

The weekend work is needed to provide the contractor with the ability to take advantage of favorable ocean conditions and to complete the dredging of the entrance channel, which has been recently delayed by rough ocean conditions, the release said.

A minimum of one-half the entrance channel will remain open at all times to permit vessels to enter and exit the harbor on weekends. Access to and from the harbor on all remaining week days, except for state holidays in July and August will be closed from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 to 4:30 p.m.

“The DLNR will be working closely with the Army Corps of Engineers and Kiewit Pacific Company to give boaters advance notice of any changes to harbor access,” DLNR Chair Laura Thielen said in the release. “The public’s patience during performance of this work is greatly appreciated. When completed, this project will provide a safer harbor for all users.”

Dredging work today and Sunday will be performed within the eastern half of the entrance channel beginning at approximately 100 feet from the East Breakwater and ending at approximately 350 feet from the East Breakwater.

Dredging work on remaining weekends in July and August will be performed within the western half of the entrance channel beginning near the oceanside end of the West Breakwater and ending at approximately 450 feet from the oceanside end of the West Breakwater.

Weather permitting, all dredging work should be completed by late August, the release said.

On Sept. 6, 2007, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awarded a construction contract for $18.8 million to Kiewit Pacific Company of Kapolei, O‘ahu for the Kikiaola Light Draft Harbor Project. The project is being cost-shared between the Army Corps of Engineers and DLNR.

For more information regarding this construction project and the upcoming schedule, contact Eric Yuasa of DLNR, Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation at (808) 587-0122 or Steven Takeguchi of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at (808) 438-1274.