Hawaii's Pohoiki Boat Ramp Dredging Project in Puna Receives Green Light

PUNA, HAWAII - After over 6 1/2 years of being closed, final approval for the dredging of the Pohoiki boat ramp has been made. The Hawaii Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation has awarded a dredging contract to Goodfellow Bros. LLC for the restoration of the Pohoiki Boat Ramp facility. The project aims to restore function to the boat ramp, which was severely impacted by the 2018 Kilauea Volcanic Eruption and Earthquakes disaster. During this event, Pohoiki Bay was inundated with volcanic sand, cobble, and boulders, leaving the existing boat ramp landlocked. The restoration project involves creating a channel through the volcanic debris to reconnect the boat ramp to the Pacific Ocean. Approximately 42,000 cubic yards of sediment will be removed through a combination of on-land excavation and mechanical dragline dredging. A portion of the dredged material will be repurposed to fill ponds created by volcanic debris accumulation in the bay's backshore area. The remaining material will be relocated to the main disposal site, which includes the lava land mass that covered the eastern end of the park and adjacent newly accreted land. Work is scheduled to begin in February 2025, with completion anticipated by November 2025, pending final permit approvals which are currently in process. For additional information about the project, interested parties can visit the official Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources website at: https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dobor/fema-final-public-notice-for-pohoiki-boat-ramp-dredging-on-hawaii-island/ More information to come as it becomes available.