The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has budgeted $500,000 to plan for the dredging of the federal channel at Bodega Bay.
The funding will cover the studies and permits needed to perform future maintenance dredging.
Securing funding is a competitive process, said Regional Parks Director Caryl Hart, and the efforts of 5th District Supervisor Efren Carrillo , Sonoma County’s congressional representatives, and Army Corps staff were key to moving the project forward.
“ This is a wonderful example of community needs being addressed by our accessible federal representatives and the Army Corps ,” Carrillo said. “ The Corps has been a great long-term partner, and this essential funding furthers that relationship. We are incredibly grateful to Congressman Jared Huffman and Senator Barbara Boxer for their advocacy for Bodega Bay .”
The channel is dredged on an 11-year cycle to maintain navigable depths of 12 feet.
The channel was last dredged in 2005.
“ We manage our nation’s navigable waterways to keep commerce and shipping channels open and safe ,” said Army Corps of Engineers San Francisco District Commander Lt. Col. John K. Baker. “ We value Sonoma County’s partnership to keep the harbor safe for commercial and recreation boating and the U.S. Coast Guard’s search and rescue mission unencumbered. ”
Hart said the future dredging will remove about 8,400 cubic yards of sand from the channel and at the Coast Guard Station.
An estimated $6 million in congressional appropriations will be needed to complete the dredging project.
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Press Release, March 12, 2014