(BIVN) – A Draft Environmental Assessment for planned North Kawaihae Small Boat Harbor breakwater improvements has been published and posted in The Environmental Notice for October 23.

The Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation is seeking to redesign and improve the damaged main breakwater at the small boat harbor to better withstand winter swells.

According to a project summary:

The existing breakwater elevation will be raised four (4) feet from six (6) feet above mean lower low water (MLLW) to ten (10) feet MLLW. The breakwater section will be ten (10) feet wide at its crest to accommodate maintenance equipment and have 1.5H:1V side slopes. The bottom width of the structure will be below the waterline and vary from about 40 to 60 feet. The modified breakwater will be designed to withstand larger wave forces and reduce wave intrusion into the harbor, thus minimizing damage to harbor structures and vessels that use the harbor. The breakwater structure will be extended approximately 80 feet landward from the existing end of the breakwater to prevent siltation of the boat ramp during high wave conditions.

Project construction cost is estimated to be about $5 million. That number “will be refined as design documents are completed,” the draft EA states. The time frame for construction is six to eight months.

The 30-day public review and comment period for the Draft EA has started. Comments are due by November 22, 2023.