State officials believe the return of spring and summer trade winds and natural wave conditions will replenish the sand lost at the Royal Hawaii groin on Waikiki Beach.

A relatively rare set of weather conditions led to erosion issues this winter, according to the State Department of Land and Natural Resources.

“Weather conditions influence sand deposition in Waikiki, Sam Lemmo, administrator of the department’s Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands, said in a press release. “Under normal trade wind conditions, sand generally moves along the shoreline in the Ewa direction. This winter sand has moved in the opposite direction, due to a weather anomaly, resulting in a serious erosion hotspot at the groin,” he said.

Sandbags were installed and exposed metal on the Royal Hawaiian groin was removed to deal with the erosion.

Late last year, there was a loss of sand on the beach adjacent to the Kuhio Beach groin, the land department reported.

In 2012, a sand nourishment project moved 27,000 cubic yards of sand from offshore onto Kuhio Beach in the first sand restoration project in Waikiki in more than 50 years.

The state is developing plans to eliminate erosion hot spots at Royal Hawaiian Groin and next to Kuhio Beach, Lemmo said.  “However, nature is unpredictable and all we can do is try our best to maintain a modest recreational beach which has to be balanced with the protection of the surfing sites and the marine environment.” 

Waikiki is an engineered beach which includes imported sand and rock stabilizing structures.