A modern coastal erosion investigation: Kapa'a Beach, Kaua'i

Sea Engineering, Inc. conducted a detailed 14-month study to investigate sand transport processes and beach erosion at Kapa'a Beach and develop beach improvement alternatives. The study consisted of the following key components: evaluation of sand transport mechanisms and processes acting along the shoreline at Kapa'a; identification of potential beach material borrow sites and available volumes through a geophysical investigation of offshore sand deposits; development of computational wave and circulation models for nearshore Kapa'a Beach using advanced numerical modeling and visualization software; and, development of coastal engineering improvement concepts for mitigation of beach loss and shoreline retreat at Kapa'a Beach.