Ka Pili Kai University of Hawaiÿi Sea Grant College Program

KaUniversity of Hawaiÿi Sea PiliGrant College Program Vol. 26, No.Kai 4 Winter 2004/2005

Addressing Coastal Hazards

Ka Pili Kai Vol. 26 No. 4 Ka Pili Kai is published quarterly by the University of Hawaiÿi (UH) Sea Grant

12345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345Contents College Program, School of Ocean and 12345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345 Earth Science and Technology (SOEST). 3 Tsunami Sense: Understanding Tsunamis and UH Sea Grant is a unique partnership of university, government and industry, Preparing for the Next Event focusing on marine research, education 7 ExtensionView: Zoe Norcross-Nuÿu and and advisory/extension services. Director: Dolan Eversole E. Gordon Grau, Ph.D. 9 Book Review: Hawaii Coastal Hazard Associate Director: Mary J. Donohue, Ph.D. Mitigation Guidebook Periodicals postage paid at Honolulu, HI Postmaster: Send address changes to: 10 Waiting for the Sirens? Nature is Already Ka Pili Kai, 2525 Correa Road, HIG 208, Giving You the Signals Honolulu, HI 96822 (808) 956-7410; fax: (808) 956-3014 12 Forecast: Improving Warning Systems and [email protected] www.soest.hawaii.edu/SEAGRANT Evacuation Maps Acting Communications Leader: 14 Photo Gallery - Beach Erosion in Action Mary J. Donohue, Ph.D. Assistant Communications Leader: 16 Nä mea like ÿole (Miscellany) Kerry Irish

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12345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345 Information Technology Specialist: N. Harold Richman, III, Ph.D. In this issue of Ka Pili Kai... Web and Multimedia: Ed Tamura Staff Writer: Craig Okumura

Ka Pili Kai – “things connected with the sea” highlights connections The University of Hawaiÿi was designated between people and our ocean environment. Lately when we think of a Sea Grant College in 1972, following the coastal hazards, our minds turn to the December 2004 tsunami in the National Sea Grant College and Program Act of 1966. Indian Ocean. This disaster reminds us in Hawaiÿi of our intimate connection with the sea; we are uniquely blessed by our environment Ka Pili Kai is funded by a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric but also vulnerable to a myriad of coastal hazards. Administration, project M/C-1, sponsored by the University of Hawai‘i Sea Grant This issue of Ka Pili Kai focuses on understanding and addressing College Program/SOEST, under Institu- coastal hazards in Hawaiÿi. Edison Gica describes the science behind a tional Grant No. NA16RG2254 from the NOAA Office of Sea Grant, Department tsunami and details facts every resident of Hawaiÿi should be familiar of Commerce. The views expressed with; while Yong Wei shares his research to improve tsunami warning herein are those of the authors only. systems and update Hawaiÿi’s tsunami evacuation maps. Focusing on Ka Pili Kai Editors: Mary J. Donohue, coastal erosion, Zoe Norcross-Nuÿu and Dolan Eversole highlight Ph.D. and Kerry Irish some of their current and timely research, and we introduce the Hawaii Layout and design: Craig Okumura Coastal Mitigation Guidebook, an indispensable reference for coastal On the cover... homeowners and developers alike. This issue is rounded out with a The eastern shores of Oÿahu like feature on research into behavioral responses to natural disasters by that of Lanikai Beach are Chris Gregg. susceptible to coastal hazards Kerry Irish, Assistant Communications Leader from beach erosion to tsunamis. ~Photo courtesy of the University of Hawaiÿi Coastal Geology Group

2 KaKa PiliPili KaiKai A tsunami scattered fishing boats throughout Kodiak, Alaska, April 1963. ~Photo courtesy of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration TsunamiTsunamiTsunami SenseSenseSense UNDERSTANDING TSUNAMIS AND PREPARING FOR THE NEXT EVENT

By Edison Gica and Craig Okumura

n May 22, 1960 the largest earthquake ever Tsunamis, meaning harbor waves in Japanese, are recorded occurred on the Chilean coast of frequently misunderstood events of nature. Often OSouth America. The earthquake and incorrectly referred to as ‘tidal waves’, tsunamis resulting tsunami took more than 2000 lives in have no connection to the rise and fall of earth’s Chile then traveled across the Pacific Ocean, taking tides – in fact, they are caused by large-scale ocean 61 lives in Hawai‘i and 122 more in Japan. disturbances. Most tsunamis are caused from Tsunamis can create great destruction and loss of earthquakes, though are occasionally caused by life within minutes on shores near to their source other forces such as landslides or submarine and within hours across an entire ocean basin. How volcanic eruptions. After the initial disturbance of can such a wave cause so much damage? the water surface, tsunami waves radiate away in

Ka Pili Kai 3 Hawaiian Islands Alaska

Chile Hawaiian Islands

Figure 1. Numerical simulation of the 1946 Figure 2. Numerical simulation of the 1960 Chile Aleutian tsunami waves propagating through the tsunami waves propagating through the Hawaiian Hawaiian Islands (five hours after the Islands (15 hours after the earthquake). earthquake). ~Courtesy Edison Gica ~Courtesy Edison Gica

all directions, washing over nearby shores and shore in their destructive state. As it enters shallow propagating across large ocean basins (see areas, the wave speed slows down, wave length examples in Figures 1 and 2). shortens and height increases making it very visible. A common tell-tale sign that a tsunami will A common misconception about a tsunami is that it arrive is when near shore waters recede is a single wave, when in fact it is a series of waves significantly, exposing the ocean floor. that can last for several hours. Usually, the first wave to reach shore is not the largest and this is Tsunamis can travel quite fast, over 800 km/hour where unsuspecting curiosity can quickly turn into in the deep open ocean and will slow considerably tragedy when onlookers and survivors of the first as they travel over shallower areas. Although speed wave begin to inspect the damage too soon. decreases as it nears shore, tsunamis still move faster than a human can run and are strong enough Wave lengths (the measurement between crests) to pick up boats and debris and carry them and wave periods (time between successive wave hundreds of feet inland, often destroying crests) of tsunamis are astoundingly different from everything on the land in its path (see photo on common wind-generated waves. In comparison, page 3). waves produced from the wind have wave lengths generally from However, as 60 meters (m) powerful and to 150 m and A common misconception about a tsunami is devastating as about a 10- that it is a single wave, when in fact it is a a tsunami can second wave be, not all period. On the series of waves that can last for several hours. tsunamis are other hand, destructive. tsunami waves can have wave lengths of 160 For example if an earthquake is relatively small kilometers (km) or more with wave periods ranging and the nearest coastline far away, a very weak from five minutes to one hour. tsunami wave can arrive onshore at only a few centimeters high – not big enough to be Tsunami waves are generally unnoticeable as they distinguished from normal wind generated waves. move across the deep ocean until they reach the Also, as the world has seen with Indonesia in

4 Ka Pili Kai recent months, destructive tsunamis are not always are six DART buoys deployed in the Pacific Ocean the inevitable conclusion to a major earthquake. which help to provide real time information for the The earthquake on March 28, 2005 measuring 8.7 warning center. Once a determination has been on the Richter scale, did not produce a destructive made if an earthquake is of concern and there is a ocean wide tsunami compared to the similarly real possibility of a tsunami, Civil Defense registered 8.5 earthquake on December 26, 2004 in agencies will implement evacuation procedures. the same region generating a tsunami reaching nearly all countries bordering the Indian Ocean. Hawaiÿi has had its share of tsunami encounters. On November 29, 1975 an earthquake was generated in Kalapana on the southern coast of the island of Hawaiÿi. Neighboring Keauhou Landing experienced a local tsunami (1,000 km or less from the source); waves were reported as high as 14.3 m. Fortunately, the other Hawaiian islands were unaffected with reported wave heights were less than 0.5 m. Besides being susceptible to local tsunamis, the geographic location of the Hawaiian Islands should make residents vigilant to the potential of distant tsunamis (earthquake 1,000 km or more from Hawaiÿi). The Pacific Rim, an area with frequent and often significant earthquakes, could produce a tsunami that would affect Hawai‘i (see Figures 1 and 2). Two of the most destructive tsunamis originating in the Pacific Rim that have hit the Hawaiian Islands were caused by the 1946 Aleutian Island and 1960 Chilean earthquakes. A combined death toll of more than 200 people was recorded in Hilo Bay on the Island of Hawai‘i alone as a result of Figure 3. Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis both events. The maximum recorded wave (DART) Buoy setup. ~Illustration courtesy NOAA/PMEL heights at Hilo Bay of each tsunami were 8.1 m in 1946 and 10.7 m in 1960. This warning system is just as useful to determine if there is no threat of a tsunami. In November While impossible to predict where and when 2003 a tsunami was generated off the Aleutian earthquakes that could cause a tsunami will occur, Islands, Alaska, but was considered a “no threat” we do understand that Hawai‘i is vulnerable. The event for Hawai‘i preventing unnecessary concern Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Ewa Beach, and unneeded evacuations on the islands. O‘ahu attempts to mitigate potential harm of a tsunami by closely monitoring earthquakes in the The accuracy of these warnings are critical to the Pacific region. This is done in part by using a State of Hawaiÿi as any underestimation may cause special buoy called DART – or Deep-ocean serious consequences in future events, such as Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis (Figure 3) injuries and fatalities, loss of credibility of the civil developed by the National Oceanic and defense agencies and the loss of tourism revenue. Atmospheric Administration’s Pacific Marine The University of Hawaiÿi Sea Grant College Environmental Laboratory (NOAA/PMEL). There Program and the Joint Institute for Marine and

Ka Pili Kai 5 Atmospheric Research (JIMAR) recognized this in 1999 and responded by co-funding tsunami research of investigators Dr. Michelle Teng of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Dr. Kwok Fai Cheung of the Department of Ocean and Resources Engineering. Their research improves prediction models for tsunami run-up (sea-surface height increase) and coastal inundation (horizontal distance inland) by developing a two-dimensional run-up model factoring in Hawaiÿi’s unique terrain, bathymetry The Joint Institute for Marine and Atmospheric and topography. This model improves Research (JIMAR) is a federally-funded computational efficiency and its accuracy was program through the National Oceanic and verified with actual field data collected in Hawaiÿi Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and is and across the Pacific Ocean. With accurate located at the University of Hawaiÿi at Mänoa. prediction models, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Director of JIMAR, Professor Thomas Center improves its forecasting abilities and the Schroeder, has been a strong supporter of Hawaiÿi State Civil Defense agencies can update tsunami research in Hawaiÿi. their tsunami evacuation maps provided to the public in local telephone directories.

Edison Gica holds a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Hawai‘i at Mänoa and is a former graduate student of Michelle Teng, Ph.D. of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. He is currently a post-doctoral research associate at NOAA/PMEL. Craig Okumura is a staff writer with the University of Hawaiÿi Sea Grant College Program. How do I prepare for a tsunami? Know your facts: 1. Local tsunamis occur within minutes of a nearby earthquake, landslide or other near shore disturbance. Emergency and civil defense authorities may not have enough time to warn the public. If you feel the ground shake and you are near the shore, move to higher ground immediately.

2. Distant tsunamis are detectable and local emergency and civil defense authorities will warn the public through sirens and radio and television broadcasts. A civil defense siren means you should turn on the radio or television as it may be a tsunami warning. Refer to your local telephone directory white pages for tsunami evacuation maps.

3. An approaching tsunami often causes near shore waters to quickly retreat significantly exposing reefs and the ocean floor. Upon landfall, tsunamis move faster than humans can run, so get to higher ground or move to higher floors in a concrete building. If you already see a tsunami wave approaching, you have very little time to act.

4. Tsunami waves arrive in a series and can last for hours. One tsunami wave does not mean it is all clear. Once you get to higher ground and a wave passes, remain there or move higher as more waves are likely to Check your local telephone directory to learn about follow. Keep in mind: the first wave is not usually the strongest. tsunami evacuation maps.

6 Ka Pili Kai ExtensionView How Two Extension Agents Address Coastal Hazards in Hawaiÿi

At the University of Hawaiÿi Sea Grant College Program (UH Sea Grant), research and outreach are interconnected. Our scientists study pressing local issues and produce real world answers – then our extension agents translate that research into useful information for a myriad of audiences. This column highlights the important work done by our extension agents in your backyard.

Zoe Norcross-Nuÿu Dolan Eversole

When Maui residents When the think of coastal Department of issues, one of their Land and Natural primary concerns is Resources (DLNR) chronic shoreline has a question retreat. With an about coastal island-wide sandy development or shoreline erosion rate erosion mitigation, average of one foot they only need to per year, erosion hot- walk down the hall spots are widespread, to find a Sea Grant with each requiring unique consideration. UH Sea expert. Dolan Eversole is a coastal geologist and Grant Coastal Processes Extension Agent Zoe UH Sea Grant Coastal Lands Extension Agent in Norcross-Nu‘u provides guidance to Maui County O‘ahu who serves as a technical advisor to the in addressing these challenging issues. DLNR on a range of coastal issues. Norcross-Nu‘u brings a wealth of experience Eversole is graduate of the University of studying shoreline change to her position. She has Hawai‘i at Mänoa (UH Mänoa) where he earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in University of Hawai‘i at Mänoa where she geology. For his graduate degree, Eversole specialized in coastal geology. For her master’s specialized in coastal geology working on degree research, Norcross-Nu‘u studied shoreline historical shoreline mapping and sediment change patterns in Kailua Bay, O‘ahu on both a transport numerical modeling in Käÿanapali long-term scale (decadal for over 70 years) and a Beach, Maui with Dr. Charles Fletcher, a UH short-term scale (semi-annually for four years; Mänoa professor. Working directly out of the monthly for one year). DLNR Coastal Lands Program office, Eversole brings a technical background to his work in One means of combating shoreline erosion is addition to many years of practical experience through beach replenishment projects. Sand for as an ocean enthusiast and ocean lifeguard. replenishment on Maui is mined from inland dunes. When the sand is replenished, turbidity The mandate of the Coastal Lands Program is to plumes are created in the ocean. With concern for maintain the delicate balance between potential impacts of the turbidity on water quality preservation and responsible development of and marine life brought to her attention, Norcross- marine and coastal areas. One major focus of Nu‘u put together one of Hawai‘i’s first the program is initiating and developing comprehensive studies to examine the impacts of innovative and proactive shoreline management

(Continued on page 8) Ka Pili Kai 7 Norcross-Nuÿu (cont’d) beach replenishment. For nine that perhaps the replenished sand months leading up to a beach acts as a turbidity suppressant by replenishment project at Ma‘alaea covering fine bottom sediments. on Maui’s south shore, monitoring Additionally, beach profiles showed occurred on a monthly basis. During that the replenished sand did not the week of sand replacement and move onto the shallow fringing reef for five days thereafter, monitoring at both ends of the study area; occurred on a daily basis, followed instead, it was mainly dispersed by two months of intensive follow alongshore by currents and up studies. Monitoring consisted of transported offshore into a sand- water quality measurements, beach filled channel at the center of the profile measurements, ghost crab study area. Fish and ghost crab Norcross-Nuÿu (left) and two hole and fish counts, benthic habitat counts increased following beach other scientists monitoring video transect surveys and sediment replenishment, and no negative water quality for the Kanai A trap analysis. The study was impacts other than a temporary Nalu beach replenishment designed and conducted with the increase in turbidity were observed. project on Maui. ~Photo assistance of students from the Maui While impacts from beach courtesy Zoe Norcross-Nuÿu Community College Marine Option replenishment will still be carefully Program, and was used as a senior monitored on a case-by-case basis, thesis project for one student. the results from this study helped to obtain support Results from the study indicate that for sand nourishment within days after replenishment projects from local turbidity levels declined to below government agencies. pre-nourishment levels, suggesting

Eversole (cont’d) techniques compatible with the long- One of the innovative aspects to term goal of beach and coastal this project is that it will be using preservation. sand that was once on the beach and has now moved offshore. This As a result of both natural and ensures the sand is compatible with anthropogenic impacts to beaches, existing sand and is a cost effective many sandy coastlines are alternative to bringing in new sand. experiencing coastal erosion and beach loss. To address this, Eversole With the assistance of UH Sea and others in the Coastal Lands Grant, the DLNR’s Office of Program are working to develop a Conservation and Coastal Lands has comprehensive coastal policy for the also been developing public Eversole videotaping the state including promoting more education programs and distributing drifting patterns of a conservative coastal development information and guidelines on the fluorescent-green dye he with greater emphasis on identifying best management, erosion control released in the waters of coastal hazards and exploring development and construction Kühiö Beach, Waikïkï for a innovative erosion control practices for Hawaiÿi’s coastal beach nourishment project. techniques. One project slated for areas. The goal is to provide the ~Photo courtesy George F. fall 2005 is the restoration of public with a broader local Lee, Honolulu Star Bulletin Waikïkï Beach through a unique understanding of coastal processes offshore sand recycling project. The and erosion alternatives plan involves dredging up to 10,000 which will ideally lead cubic yards of offshore sand to to more informed replenish the Kühiö Beach area planning and which has not seen major decision-making in renourishment efforts since 1975. the future.

8 Ka Pili Kai Book Review Now A New University of Hawaiÿi Sea Grant Publication Available Hawaii Coastal Hazard Mitigation Guidebook

As a coastal homeowner, have you based standards for hazard ever wondered where to get mitigation and then gives technical, yet easy to understand recommendations for information about minimizing implementation that minimize erosion concerns on your burden to the regulated property? Or as a contractor, have community. The thrust of the you thought about how vulnerable guidebook is on implementing the your building is to a hurricane? If measures through guidance, you have, then the new book by industry standards, policy and the Dennis J. Hwang, Hawaii Coastal use of existing regulations. Hazard Mitigation Guidebook, is a must read. At 242 pages with 13 Topics covered in the guidebook Copies of the Hawaii summary tables and 80 color include coastal and bluff erosion, Coastal Hazard Mitigation figures displaying the flooding, wave inundation, Guidebook are now geographical variability of hazard hurricanes and tsunamis. Since the available for $25.00 at: risk in Hawai‘i, the guidebook is dangers for each of these hazards an informative, technical resource. overlap, four hazard zones are www.soest.hawaii.edu/ identified that take into account SEAGRANT Designed for a wide and varied how these hazards might act in or audience from planners and particular regions. University of Hawaiÿi architects to homeowners and Sea Grant College Program The guidebook is a useful tool for government agencies, the 2525 Correa Road, HIG 208 anyone interested in reducing risk guidebook complements the Honolulu, HI 96822 Federal Emergency Management from natural hazards. It was made Agency’s Coastal Construction possible with grants from the Manual with a special emphasis on Hawai‘i Department of Land and land use planning and siting. The Natural Resources, Office of “We hope that the guidebook is a resource to reduce Planning - Coastal Zone guidebook can make Management Program, University the risk to coastal development by coastal development planning for natural hazards such of Hawai‘i Sea Grant College as erosion, flooding, tsunamis and Program, and the National Oceanic stronger and safer, hurricanes. and Atmospheric Administration’s while protecting our Pacific Services Center and Coastal Hwang says the guidebook Services Center. natural resources.” provides scientific and technically -Dennis J. Hwang

About the Author: Dennis J. Hwang BS, MS, JD Dennis Hwang has been working in the area of coastal zone management for over twenty years. He has a bachelor of science in geology from the University of Rochester, a master of science in geology and geophysics from the University of Hawai‘i and a juris doctorate from the University of Houston. Mr. Hwang is currently with the law office of Reinwald O’Connor & Playdon, LLP and advises government agencies, companies, business and community groups in the areas of environmental, land use, and property law.

Ka Pili Kai 9 Waiting for the Sirens? Nature is Already Giving You the Signals

A Sea Grant Study Spawns Earthquake/Tsunami Disaster Response Research in Thailand By Chris E. Gregg, UH Sea Grant Supported Graduate Student

University of Hawaiÿi (UH) Sea Reporting of Tsunamis (DART) buoys in the Grant College Program-funded Pacific Ocean detect and report tsunamis, Aproject investigating community but their utility is greatest for distant resilience to natural hazards in Hawaiÿi has tsunamis and at best limited for local spawned a multidisciplinary research tsunamis. This is primarily due to limited project in Thailand’s disaster zone. The time to effectively communicate warning National Science Foundation has provided messages between scientists, officials and funding to study factors affecting the public. The DART system is slated for behavioral response to tsunami natural expansion in the Pacific and to the Atlantic warning signs using the 2004 Indian and Caribbean, but reducing tsunami risk in Ocean earthquake as a case study. these areas requires more than a high-tech detection system. Perceptional events such Coastal communities at risk are vulnerable as ground-shaking and sea level changes to two tsunami threats with drastically have served as effective warning signals different warning times from distant and historically and may provide the first and local tsunami sources. Threat response only alert of local tsunami in future events. times, hours for a distant tsunami but Communities resilient to tsunami effects minutes for a local tsunami, confirm must be aware of natural tsunami signs and danger to communities may be mitigated possess a capacity to respond to both only if people are trained in two scenarios: official and natural warnings. official pre-disaster warnings (for distant tsunamis) and real-time sensory and Historic tsunamis illustrate that natural signs perceptual events produced by an can serve as effective warning signals but impending disaster (for local tsunamis). also demonstrate that many people This dual training increases the public’s intentionally enter danger zones. For example, survival in a 1993 local tsunami in Japan was high because people recognized Community knowledge of natural ground-shaking as a precursor to imminent tsunami and evacuated immediately by foot warnings is needed because mechanical to higher ground. Survivors did not search warning systems can be rendered ineffective by for friends and family or attempt evacuation factors such as human error and earthquake damage. by automobile, as did many who perished. Hawaiÿi fatalities have occurred because waves often recede before arriving onshore. The exposed sea floor arouses curiosity, capacity to respond effectively to all drawing people into the danger zone who tsunami threats, but also increases the are later overcome by waves. Reports of the complexity of effective outreach. 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami included people Community knowledge of natural evacuating upon noticing signs of tsunamis warnings is needed because mechanical as well as thousands of people going to the warning systems can be rendered beach to watch incoming waves. ineffective by factors such as human error In Thailand, we will collect social data from and earthquake damage. Tsunami people in affected areas, including the detection and reporting systems such as tourist area of Phuket, through interview the US Deep-ocean Assessment and

10 Ka Ka PiliPili KaiKai questionnaires administered by local Thai collected on ground shaking intensity and college students. The Thailand survey will tsunami behavior. We will also return to be refined and tested in collaboration with Thailand in 2006 and resurvey respondents former UH graduate, Dr. Supin to test the accuracy of memory recall. This Wongbusarakum, director of the longitudinal study component will allow us International Sustainable Development to gain new knowledge about traumatic Studies Institute in Thailand. event memory and will provide the first longitudinal sensory and response data for Our survey will investigate: 1) awareness tsunamis. and response to natural warning signs of the tsunami, warning provided by others or observations of their actions, 2) factors that Remember, when you feel the ground shake determined which responses the respondents chose, 3) factors respondents and are in a coastal area play it safe and leave retrospectively believe would have immediately for higher ground. influenced them to act differently and 4) pre- and post-impact tsunami preparedness. We also propose to collect data from With my advisor, UH Professor Bruce European visitors to the disaster area who Houghton, we have assembled a have since been repatriated. multinational research team including Thailand social scientist Dr. Our Thailand study will be the first Wongbusarakum, Australian psychologist systematic study of human sensory of Professor Douglas Paton, New Zealand events surrounding tsunamis and thus physical and social scientist Dr. David provide critical insight into the social, Johnston, and psychologists Professor R. cognitive, cultural, environmental, and Lachman and Dr. Janet Lachman. political factors that influence sensory and behavioral response. The study is An effective warning system for reducing grounded in theoretically rigorous distant and local tsunami risk must behavioral models drawn from the health- integrate technical and natural subsystems. protection literature and from memory Awareness of both subsystems and the theory. This exploratory research will constraints each imposes on available strengthen existing models and bridge the response time is critical. People must also gap between what is known about be able to recognize when they are in a behavioral response to official versus safe versus a dangerous place. Finally, natural warnings. The findings are critical recognition of warning signs must motivate given an effective overall tsunami warning desired actions. For local tsunami, this is Chris E. Gregg has system must reflect social dynamics around immediate evacuation to higher ground. recently completed his both types of warnings. For distant tsunamis, this is listening and Ph.D. at the University responding as requested by Civil Defense of Hawaiÿi in the Another aspect of our research relates to through media such as radio or television. Department of Geology memory theory. Some memory research Remember, when you feel the ground and Geophysics. suggests recall of major life events of those shake and are in a coastal area play it safe with direct disaster experience is extremely and leave immediately for higher ground. accurate at six months and remains Occasionally there will be “false” alarms; accurate for years. Thailand resident data live to tell about them! If you see the ocean will be collected by the end of April and recede or rise at unusual rates or to unusual European Visitor data in summer 2005, levels, evacuate to higher ground suggesting high memory accuracy. immediately. Also note that the Hawaiÿi However, we will validate the accuracy of siren sounding is an Attention/Alert signal survey responses through question design that means, “Tune to a radio or television techniques, inter-respondent comparisons for information.” and comparisons with physical data

Ka Pili Kai 11 Forecast Improving Warning Systems and Evacuation Maps

By Yong Wei, UH Sea Grant Program has been funding statewide siren system tied into Supported Graduate Student research in the Department of an emergency alert system, and Ocean and Resources frontline emergency personnel. Engineering to develop a s Hawai‘i prepared tsunami forecast model that will Hawaiÿi’s current evacuation for the next increase the accuracy of the maps were developed in 1991 based on relatively simple one- tsunami? current warning system. The I inverse algorithm model we dimensional models, meaning Researchers at the developed, which uses the they do not account for the University of Hawaiÿi recorded tsunami signals at the effects of ocean-floor topography that can alter the are working to answer water-level stations to infer the seismic source, is extended to behavior of a wave as it this question in the predict the tsunami waveforms approaches the shore. These affirmative by using at strategic locations near early models need to be updated Hawaiÿi. We participated in the to account for additional innovative modeling implementation of this model at variables that can now be techniques to improve the National Oceanic and measured. When a tsunami hits the coast of Hawai‘i, the impact tsunami warning Atmospheric Administration’s Pacific Marine Environmental and potential damage will vary systems and update Laboratory (NOAA/PMEL) depending on where you are. state evacuation maps. which will improve the tsunami For example, in the 1946 and forecasting capability for the 1960 tsunamis, Hilo Bay was Tsunami Warning Technology PTWC and the West Coast and severely affected, yet other Alaska Tsunami Warning nearby areas did not fare as Established in 1949, the Pacific Center. This model is expected badly. This was due in large Tsunami Warning Center to provide these centers with a measure to the shape of the (PTWC) in Hawaiÿi monitors useful tool to predict the ocean floor in Hilo Bay, which data from water-level stations severity of a tsunami in progress amplified the power of the throughout the Pacific for and to better advise civil defense tsunami. disturbances associated with agencies for emergency We have been involved with a tsunamis. When an earthquake management. occurs, the PTWC staff compare multi-agency effort known as the water-level data near the Updating Hawaiÿi’s Evacuation Hawaiÿi Tsunami Mapping earthquake source to data from Maps Project. Initiated in 2003, the past tsunamis – both real and focus of this project has been to After devastating losses from the computer modeled events. Not update the current evacuation 1946 and 1960 tsunamis, all large earthquakes produce maps using the most advanced Hawai‘i built a statewide tsunamis, so these measurements two-dimensional models tsunami emergency response are studied to determine if a available. Thus far we have system. The system includes tsunami has been generated and completed the necessary models unified state and county a warning should be issued. and are now using them to emergency plans, evacuation update the evacuation maps for Since 2003, the University of maps that are published in Hawaiÿi. Hawai‘i Sea Grant College telephone books, a coordinated

12 Ka Pili Kai This new model takes into account historical data from the previous six tsunamis to hit Hawai‘i and creates a comprehensive view of areas likely to be affected in the next At a Glance... event. In the mapping project Hawai‘i’s 800-mile coastline is A computer simulation of the broken down into 28 individual Indian Ocean Tsunami segments. For the past year, the effort has focused on O‘ahu’s North Shore. The evacuation maps are based on the computed inundation limits, recognized landmarks, and development patterns. As a result of this new model and study, it has been determined that the evacuation line for some locations on the North Shore must be extended further inland. Updated evacuation maps for the North Shore were recently completed and will appear in the next printing of the public phone book. Studies for the next area, East Honolulu, will begin in July 2005 and are expected to be completed by early 2006. Current efforts only allow for two to three areas of Oÿahu to be studied each year. The major difficulties in creating these maps lies in the availability and calibration of the topography for coastal areas in Hawai‘i, which plays an important role in tsunami modeling. The entire project is expected to take several years to complete.

Yong Wei is a graduate student at the University of Hawai‘i in the Department of Ocean and Resources Engineering. His Ph.D. research is focused on predicting potential tsunami impacts on Hawai‘i. ~Courtesy Yong Wei.

Ka Pili Kai 13 Photo Gallery Beach Erosion in Action

Hawaiÿi’s developed coastlines can suffer if long-term shoreline erosion is not accommodated. Sandy beaches statewide erode at an average of one foot per year. ~Courtesy Zoe Norcross-Nuÿu

eaches are fundamentally important to environments, it is important to enhance Hawaiÿi’s visitor industry, the daily quality understanding of sand budgets and their dynamic Bof life of residents, and as a component of nature. the marine nearshore environment. Over the past century and a half, coastal development trends The University of Hawaiÿi Sea Grant College have interfered with natural changes in beach Program (UH Sea Grant) continues to fund the position threatening private property and buildings research of Dr. Charles Fletcher of the Department with coastal erosion. To improve management of of Geology and Geophysics at the University of beaches and other littoral sand-dependent Hawaiÿi at Mänoa. Fletcher leads the Coastal

14 Ka Pili Kai A fully-recovered beach surrounding a pavilion in Käÿanapali, Maui. With seasonal erosion, sand washes away and returns to the same area during opposite times of the year. ~Courtesy Dolan Eversole

Geology Group, an affiliation of researchers, A current project of the Coastal Geology Group is technicians, and graduate students who explore an analysis of historical shoreline trends on Oÿahu shoreline change, carbonate geology, reef geology, and Maui. This work will help to better plan sedimentology and coastal morphodynamics in and manage development by providing Hawaiÿi. Photos are courtesy of Dolan Eversole scientific information on the rate and and Zoe Norcross-Nuÿu, former graduate students scope of shoreline movement. For of Fletcher’s and current colleagues as UH Sea more details on this and other work Grant Extension Agents. (See pages 7 and 8 on by the Coastal Geology Group go Eversole and Norcross-Nuÿu). to www.soest.hawaii.edu/coasts.

Ka Pili Kai 15 NäNä meamea likelike ÿoleÿole

Hanauma Bay Education Program Coming Spring 2005... Calendar of Events for May 2005: A University of Hawaiÿi Sea Grant Publication

June 2: “2004 East Oÿahu Findings” by Dave “Purchasing Coastal Property in Hawaiÿi: Raney, Reef Check Hawaiÿi. A Practical Guide of Common Questions and June 9: “Special Ocean Day Event” sponsored by Answers” the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef This booklet provides answers to practical Ecosystem Reserve. Program and speaker to be questions such as: announced. • What to do if your oceanfront property is June 16: “Coral Seas” a Blue Planet film produced threatened by erosion by the British Broadcasting Corporation. • What types of building features help Introduced by Cindy Hunter of the Hawaiÿi Coral reduce or prevent storm damage Reef Initiative and the Hawaiÿi Institute of Marine • What are common signs of coastal hazard Biology. problems • All events are held Thursday evenings in the Can you get insurance for flooding Hanauma Bay theater and are approximately one damage hour. Events are free and open to the public. If you are interested in obtaining a copy, please call Parking and entrance to the Bay are free after 4:30 the University of Hawaiÿi Sea Grant pm and park hours will be extended to Communications Unit at (808) 956-7410 or e-mail accommodate special events listed. No reservations [email protected] are required. For more information, or to sign up for event announcements via e-mail, contact the Sponsored by the Hawaiÿi Coastal Zone Hanauma Bay Education Program at (808) 397- Management and the Hawaiÿi Department of Land 5840 or [email protected]. and Natural Resources

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Ka Pili Kai (ISSN 1550-641X) Subscription/publication request (also available online ) Publication title/ ID number University of Hawai‘i Sea Grant College Program 2525 Correa Road, HIG 210 Honolulu, HI 96822 E-mail Your Address

Recycled Paper Ka Pili Kai is printed on recycled paper with soy based inks 16 Ka Pili Kai