Project in works to rebuild breakwater at Lana'i harbor

By Jan TenBruggencate
Advertiser Staff Writer

The state and the Army Corps of Engineers plan to use interlocking concrete armor units to reconstruct the crumbling breakwater at Lana'i's Kaumalapau Harbor, which is susceptible to giant surf when hurricanes pass south of the Islands.

The southwest breakwater has suffered severe damage, particularly during hurricanes in 1982 and 1992. Previous interlocking concrete units, called dolos, have been broken and turned to rubble. Earlier attempts to stabilize the breakwater with heavy material, including old pineapple crates filled with concrete, also failed.

The Corps of Engineers proposes to use a concrete unit called Core-Loc in the largest size available — 35 tons. The Core-Loc units, which are shaped like the jacks used in the children's game, will be built up from a depth of 70 to 80 feet. The structure should survive hurricane surf, but will be designed to let waves wash over the top of the breakwater.

"We believe that this will be the largest Core-Loc-constructed breakwater in the United States," said Alexander Kufel, public affairs specialist with the Corps of Engineers in Honolulu.

Kaumalapau is the island's only deepwater port. The harbor was built by Hawaiian Pineapple Co. in 1925 for shipping pineapples to the cannery on O'ahu. The breakwater encloses part of an existing bay. The Lana'i Co. transferred control of the harbor to the state in July 2000.

Officials from the state Department of Transportation signed an agreement last week under which the federal government will pay $12 million of the estimated $15 million repair cost, and the state will pay the rest.

The corps expects to award a contract for the work in December.

Reach Jan TenBruggencate at jant@honoluluadvertiser.com or (808) 245-3074.