King tides might bring royal pain to low-lying areas

Citizen scientists: Get your cameras ready. The Hawai‘i and Pacific Islands King Tides Project is recruiting volunteers to snap photos of king tides — the highest tides that occur around solstices. Slated for Wednesday and Thursday, followed by June 23-24 and July 21-23, this round could provide us with a jarring peek at what climate change and rising sea levels could eventually bring to Oahu’s south shore.

If all components align (king tides combined with big summer swells and sea level-boosting eddies), expect to see flooding in low-lying areas such as Mapunapuna (near the airport), Waikiki and Hawaii Kai. Information about volunteer training through the Sea Grant College Program at the University of Hawaii, is available online, pacificislandskingtides.com.

Have your say on fate of ‘Stairway to Heaven’

Many folks, it seems, have a wide range of opinions on what should be done about the Haiku Stairs, aka “Stairway to Heaven.” It’s easy to see why: the 3,922-step trail affords glorious vistas from the Koolau Mountains ridgeline above Haiku Valley. And, despite being officially closed to the public since 1987, the trail keeps beckoning trespassing hikers.

Today is the last day for public comment that will help draft an environmental impact statement on the Stairs’ fate; see http://www.boardofwatersupply.com/community/haiku-stairs Opens in a new tab.