Kikiaola Harbor is located along the southwest coast of the island of Kauai between the towns of Kekaha and Waimea. The Federal project modified an existing harbor, which was originally developed by the State of Hawaii in 1959. The project was authorized under Section 101 of the River and Harbor Act of 1968 and it was completed in 2009 at a cost of $18,771,500.

The Federal project consists of a dredged 725-foot-long entrance channel varying in width from 105 to 205 feet to a depth of 11 feet, a dredged 320-foot-long access channel varying in width from 70 to 105 feet to a depth of seven feet, removal of 150 feet of the existing outer east stub breakwater, raising the crest elevation and flattening the seaward slope of approximately 764 feet of the existing east breakwater, removing and reconstructing the 71-foot-long inner east breakwater, and modifying 245 feet of the seaward portion of the existing west breakwater.

These navigation improvements were designed to eliminate dangerous breaking wave conditions within the entrance channel and allow for the safe passage of vessels entering the basin. The local sponsor, State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, continues to work towards fulfilling their obligation to construct items of local cooperation such as the sand bypass system and west breakwater root repair. These features are integral to the overall function of the modified harbor project.