Charles Fletcher, PhD

Research Projects

Mapping Erosion Hazards on Oʻahu and Kauaʻi

Coastal erosion is a growing global problem, and nowhere is the trouble felt more strongly than the coastal-focused and tourism-dependent culture of Hawai’i. Research proposed here will continue our multi-year effort to map the historical pattern of shoreline change on the islands of Maui, Oahu, and Kauai and provide the database to coastal managers for the purpose of improving policies and procedures. These data have been used in the past for new land-use policies on Maui and Kauai to shift from a static setback of 40 ft, to one that is calculated on the basis of annual erosion rate. It is our data that provide the scientific underpinning of these new policies.

Read an interview with Dr. Charles Fletcher posted on NOAA's Ocean and Atmospheric Research website.

Meet Chip Fletcher
Mapping the Future of Pacific Island Shorelines