Various Repair Plans Presented for Pohoiki Boat Ramp

Various repair plans for the Pohoiki Boat Ramp were presented to the State Board of Land and Natural Resources on Friday, Feb. 26.

Blocked by new sand during the 2018 Kīlauea eruption, restoration to the ramp could take between nine months and six years or more. The cost for repairs ranges from $2.5 million to $28 million.

Finn McCall, engineer for the DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR), presented three options to the board for reopening the ramp.

The first option had a construction timeline of nine months with a price tag of $2.5 million. It is the fastest and the least costly plan, however, it’s less permanent. The plan would remove approximately 15,000 cubic yards of sand by dredging or excavation and place the sand back on the beach.

The second plan would address entrance channel improvements. The construction timeline would be two to three years costing about $6 million. Along with dredging and excavation follow-up, the plan would call for an installation of permanent structures to protect the entrance to the channel and a new swim area.

The most costly of the plans was a proposed new boat ramp facility with a construction timeline of six or more years with a price tag of $28 million. The plan would call for the construction of a new ramp on the new lava flow on the north side of the bay.

Also included in the construction would be a new breakwater, loading dock, trailer turn-around and parking area.

All of the options require varying levels of regulatory environmental review and all are dependent on funding. DOBOR plans to apply for a funding match from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which might contribute 75% of the construction cost.

Friday’s presentation to the board was for informational purposes only; the Land Board did not take any action.