PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Wendy Meguro
Co-INVESTIGATOR: Charles Fletcher
Key Personnel: Josephine Briones
Graduate Research Assistants: Joshua Tolentino

Relevance: Sea level rise (SLR) is one of the most critical issues facing the world under global warming and ~680 million people (10% of world population) live in low-lying coastal regions that are susceptible to flooding. The ‘Hawai‘i Sea Level Rise Vulnerability and Adaptation Report’ predicts a $19 billion loss of land and structures. Waikīkī is the economic hub of Hawai‘i’s tourism industry and “high tide flooding will grow exponentially over the next two to three decades until it becomes a disruptive issue by, or before, mid-century. High tide flooding interacts with high wave events and/or periods of rain to cause storm drain backflow, groundwater inundation, overflow of the Ala Wai, and marine waters flowing over the beach into backshore areas. Former Mayor Caldwell noted that the area is too intensely developed to allow for any practical form of retreat in the near future. To date, this is the only research project visualizing detailed design guidance on Waikīkī-based ‘in-place’ adaptation strategies to modify buildings, open space, transportation, and utilities.

Response: The project continues an interdisciplinary effort that enhanced Hawai‘i’s resilience by creating visionary and technical information on adapting to sea level rise and gathering feedback from community members. This proposal continues research and workforce development to directly inform local future built environment policy and guides, communicate replicable methods, and identify synergistic improved outcomes for communities, economy, and the stewardship of marine resources. The research team includes scientists conducting cutting edge modeling and mapping flooding from groundwater and precipitation, to inform adaptation planning that prevents polluted stormwater and groundwater inundation from harming ecosystems. The team will create conceptual architectural renderings and design flood elevations informed by the best available science, professional consultants, and community outreach and will survey and compare other municipalities’ SLR-adjusted DFEs to determine relevance for Honolulu. Outreach methods include hosting numerous workshops with selected stakeholders and the public and collaborating with agencies such as DPP, CCSR, OPSD, and AIA Honolulu to unite and complement existing planning efforts and guides.

Result: This research will build upon previous work including identifying flood adaptation strategies with conceptual relevance for Waikīkī, creating site-specific urban and architectural renderings illustrating application of the flood adaptation strategies with SLR and developing proposed standards for SLR-adjusted DFEs that generated coordinated conversation and new proposed DFEs for Special District guidelines. It will leverage information gathered from various outreach efforts with diverse stakeholders. Impacts include new potential design flood elevations in Waikīkī Special District Guidelines are currently in discussion facilitated by Hawai‘i Sea Grant Waikīkī Beach Management Coordinator. Workforce development outcomes include supporting graduate fellows, researchers, and students who completed training, presentations, and technical reports.