News Release Manager

Corps to begin dredging at Oceanside Harbor

Published Aug. 24, 2018

 

LOS ANGELES – The Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District plans to dredge Oceanside Harbor this fall.

Manson Construction, the Corps’ contractor, will begin the work in October after environmental restrictions – which include dredging during the California least tern nesting season – have ended.

The California least tern – an endangered subspecies – can be present in the area through September. Dredging, habitat loss, nesting disturbance, pollution and predation by domestic and wild animals are all threats to the species.

Survey crews have been monitoring the harbor's entrance channel on a periodic basis to ensure sufficient depth for safe navigation. Results from a July 30 survey indicated a significant amount of shoaling around the south jetty tip, and the western portion of the entrance channel was at a depth of 16 feet.

The Corps is coordinating with the city to determine the extent of dredging necessary. Cost of the fall dredging is about $3.5 million.

Oceanside Harbor navigational dredging is an annual project conducted to maintain the federal channel within the harbor at its authorized depth and to provide safe navigation for the recreational, commercial and military vessels that use the channel. Safety is always the Corps’ number one priority.

Last year, Manson Construction successfully removed 440,000 cubic yards of beach-quality sand from the harbor and placed it along Oceanside's beaches. Typical years see an average of about 250,000 cubic yards.

Material dredged from the entrance channels is placed along Oceanside’s beaches. Placement of beach-quality material along the shoreline is a beneficial byproduct of the maintenance dredging project.

 


Contact
Dena O'Dell
(213) 452-3925
or
Jay Field
(213) 452-3920

Release no. 18-039