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Oceanside Harbor navigational dredging underway

Los Angeles District
Published April 12, 2021
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District commander Col. Julie Balten with two members of her team, follow a contractor into the construction zone at the mouth of Oceanside Harbor, April 12. Sand dredged from the harbor will be piped to a section of Oceanside Beach, California. The annual maintenance dredging of Oceanside Harbor is contracted and supervised by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District commander Col. Julie Balten with two members of her team, follow a contractor into the construction zone at the mouth of Oceanside Harbor, April 12. Sand dredged from the harbor will be piped to a section of Oceanside Beach, California. The annual maintenance dredging of Oceanside Harbor is contracted and supervised by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District commander Col. Julie Balten and Oceanside city officials, listen to a briefing by a Manson Construction contractor, April 12, at the mouth of Oceanside Harbor. Sand dredged from the harbor will be piped to a section of Oceanside Beach, California. The annual maintenance dredging of Oceanside Harbor is contracted and supervised by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District commander Col. Julie Balten and Oceanside city officials, listen to a briefing by a Manson Construction contractor, April 12, at the mouth of Oceanside Harbor. Sand dredged from the harbor will be piped to a section of Oceanside Beach, California. The annual maintenance dredging of Oceanside Harbor is contracted and supervised by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District commander Col. Julie Balten asks a contractor about the construction zone at the mouth of Oceanside Harbor, April 12. Sand dredged from the harbor will be piped to a section of Oceanside Beach, California. The annual maintenance dredging of Oceanside Harbor is contracted and supervised by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District commander Col. Julie Balten asks a contractor about the construction zone at the mouth of Oceanside Harbor, April 12. Sand dredged from the harbor will be piped to a section of Oceanside Beach, California. The annual maintenance dredging of Oceanside Harbor is contracted and supervised by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District commander Col. Julie Balten speaks with members of her team, city officials and contractors, April 12, on Oceanside Beach, California. The annual maintenance dredging of Oceanside Harbor is contracted and supervised by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District commander Col. Julie Balten speaks with members of her team, city officials and contractors, April 12, on Oceanside Beach, California. The annual maintenance dredging of Oceanside Harbor is contracted and supervised by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District commander Col. Julie Balten consults with members of her team and contractors, April 12, on Oceanside Beach, California. The annual maintenance dredging of Oceanside Harbor is contracted and supervised by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District commander Col. Julie Balten consults with members of her team and contractors, April 12, on Oceanside Beach, California. The annual maintenance dredging of Oceanside Harbor is contracted and supervised by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District.

OCEANSIDE — Oceanside Harbor navigational dredging is an annual project conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District 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. 

According to the City of Oceanside, the dredge is critical for maintaining safe access in and out of the Oceanside Harbor.

Safety is always the Corps’ number one priority. Dredging is necessary, as sand naturally accumulates at the mouth of the harbor, making it shallower and increasing the size of waves. Annual maintenance on the channel depth increases the safety of boats and passengers. Work began April 13 and is estimated to be completed prior to Memorial Day weekend; however, weather permitting, the work could be completed sooner.

“The great partnership between the Corps, the City of Oceanside and Manson, the Corps’ contractor, specifically during mobilization efforts allowed dredging to start ahead of schedule,” said Corps project manager Victor Andreas, Programs and Projects Management Division, Navigation Section, Los Angeles District. “The team is looking forward to safely completing the project to continue providing safe navigation to the harbor as well as placing sand on the beach.  

Los Angeles District commander Col. Julie Balten, along with other representatives from the Corps, the City of Oceanside and Manson Construction, the Corps’ contractor, received an update about the Corps’ dredging project at Oceanside Harbor while touring the site, April 12.

About 250,000 cubic yards of sand is being dredged from the harbor, with an option to dredge an additional 50,000 cubic yards. The annual dredging project is conducted to maintain the channel within the harbor at its authorized federal depth of -25 feet and to provide safe navigation for vessels that use it. 

Beach-quality material dredged from the harbor will be placed along the beach, north of the pier. Placement of the material along the shoreline is a beneficial byproduct of the maintenance dredging project.

Access to the beach during the dredging is facilitated by crossing points through the construction area. 

Oceanside Harbor is one of four annual dredging projects conducted by the Los Angeles District. The Corps manages projects along 226,000 square miles of Southern California, Arizona and portions of Nevada and Utah.