Maui May Be Running Out of Sand

Link to story

WAILUKU, Hawaii - Maui may be running out of sand, threatening not only its famous year-round beaches but the state's booming construction industry.

Sources of readily available sand may run out within five to seven years, according to a report being prepared for Maui County.

The vast system of sand dunes from Waihee to Waikapu has largely been covered by development, and what's left is being mined, the report says....

[ Edited by: hanford_lemoore - shortened the URL - 2006-02-13 21:42 ]

I'm for anything to reduce the incredible development, on Maui, but the risk of compromising beautiful beaches is a very high price to pay.

The Mainland needs to get its sand elsewhere.

It's not the beach sand, it's inland sand that they use to make concrete.

Attention All Tiki Central Tiki Carvers!
Please send your Tiki wood shavings to:
C/O Maui Beach Restoration Project....

I heard these Hawaiian Realtors are devising a way to make lava cool 30 times faster than normal. :D

There was a somewhat similar situation about the star sand beaches in the Ryukyu Islands (south of Japan).

Certain islands in the Ryukyus have large quantities of star shaped sand. The sand became so popular, people were scooping up bagfulls of the stuff and hauling it away (egad, I have to admit having some!). Ryukyu tradition holds that star sand is good luck.

I think a law was passed forbidding people from taking the sand. Does Maui need a similar, sand-saving law?

I hope you are right MauiTiki, although the article states: "Maui may be running out of sand, threatening not only its famous year-round beaches . . ."

In any event, the developers on Oahu should be able to pay for dredging in the Ocean.

Otherwise, we need to create an updated application of the Pele myth.

It kind of reminds me of the planet describe in the HitchHikers Guide to The Galaxy where you are wieghed before you visit the planet, and weighed when you leave. Any net gain is surgically removed to prevent rampant erosion from destroying the planet.

The issue may be spreading to Waikiki.
"In April of last year, the state pumped in 24,000 cubic yards of sand from offshore to replenish and widen Waikiki Beach by about 37 feet. The $2.5 million project started from from the Duke Kahanamoku Statue at Kuhio Beach to past the Royal Hawaiian Hotel.

During that time, workers also tore down two rock walls or groins that stretched out into the ocean. Those who know this beach well say taking those walls away might have caused the erosion to get worse."
http://www.khon2.com/news/waikiki-beach-erosion-worsens