Kahului Town is the largest community on the island and serves as its retail center. There are three U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) projects, Kahului Deep Draft Harbor, Kahului Light Draft Harbor and the Kahului Bay Mitigation project, located in Kahului on the northern coast of the island of Maui.
The Corps is responsible for maintaining the general navigation features and project depths within the federal limits, such as the entrance channel and turning basin. Annual inspections are conducted by the Corps to ensure the project is performing as intended and hydrographic surveys are routinely performed to ensure adequate depths for safe passage.
Kahului Deep Draft Harbor
Kahului Deep Draft Harbor (DDH) serves as the island’s only deep draft commercial port. The harbor was authorized by the River and Harbor Act of 27 July 1916, 25 June 1919, 21 January 1927, and 14 July 1960. The local sponsor is the Department of Transportation, State of Hawaii. The project is in the operations and maintenance phase.
The Kahului DDH was originally constructed by the Kahului Railroad Company in 1931. Follow on modifications and repairs were performed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) in 1969, 1973, 1977, 1984 and 2002. The harbor consists of an east and west rubble mound breakwaters approximately 2,766 and 2,315 feet in length, respectively; an entrance channel 600 feet width between the breakwaters; and a harbor basin that is 2,050 feet wide, 2,400 feet long at 35 feet deep.
Over the years, the Corps has modified and repaired the two large breakwater structures, which reduces risks from large waves generated by North Pacific Ocean winter storms. Maintenance dredging was last conducted in 2024 and 2016, removing a combined 200K cubic yards of sediment. The local sponsor is responsible for maintaining depths in berthing and mooring areas of the three commercial piers.
USACE started maintenance dredging of Kahului Harbor in March 2024. The active dredge area is isolated using a corral (shown in yellow) that is attached to the dredge barge and is retrofitted with a silt curtain to contain turbid waters within the enclosure. The corral with silt curtain has proven to be a successful best management practice to preserve water quality in harbor waters through the Honolulu District area of responsibility.
Kahului Light Draft Harbor
The Kahului Light Draft Harbor (LDH) is located within the Kahului Deep Draft Harbor on the northern coast of the island of Maui. The Kahului LDH was authorized under Section 107 of the River and Harbor Act of 1960, as amended. The local sponsor is the State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation. The project is in the operations and maintenance phase.
Construction of federal features were cost shared with the State and completed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) in 2007. The Federal project features include a 130-foot-long rubble mound breakwater structure with a crest elevation of +9.0 feet above mean lower low water; an entrance channel that is 1,179-foot-long, 50 feet wide, and 9.5 feet deep; and a turning basin that is 121 feet long, 100 feet wide, and 8.5 feet deep. The State constructed Non-Federal features in 2005, replacing an existing single-lane boat launch ramp and dock with a new three-lane boat launch ramp and concrete loading dock with lighting.
Kahului Bay Prevention Mitigation of Shore Damages
The Kahului Bay Prevention and Mitigation of Shore Damages Project is located along the shoreline of the Kahului Deep Draft Harbor on the island of Maui. The project was authorized under the authority of Section 111 of the River and Harbor Act of 1968, Public Law 9-483, Prevention and Mitigation of Shore Damages Caused by Federal Navigation Projects. The local sponsors are the State of Hawaii and the County of Maui. The project is in the operations and maintenance phase.
The State built a 380-foot-long revetment in 1964. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) modified the project in 1976 to include 890-foot-long revetment (rehabilitating the State’s original portion); a 280-foot-long west groin; a 100-foot-long offshore breakwater; a 100-foot-long seaward extension to an existing 200-foot-long east groin (also built by the State in 1964); and the beach replenishment of 6,550 cubic yards of sand.
The Corps is responsible for the maintenance of the protective structures and beach.