Press Release
Army Corps of Engineers dredging Morro Bay Harbor
Post Date: 12/16/2016
Morro Bay - Approximately 240,000 cubic yards of dredged material consisting of clean sand and gravel will be removed from the entrance channel, sand trap and main channels at Morro Bay Harbor to ensure safe navigation. Dredged material will be placed upcoast in the EPA-approved disposal area for beach nourishment purposes.
This project is managed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District, under contract by the Ahtna Design-build Corporation with the contract value of $4,379,925. Crews will be working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week using a hydraulic/cutterhead dredge that will pipe material through the bay and down the beach to the disposal site.
Equipment is scheduled to arrive by truck starting December 20th and dredging is set to begin approximately the week of January 8, 2017 and should run through the end of February. Equipment will be staged and stored in a fenced yard to be created in the southern portion of the dirt Morro Rock parking lot.
The material will be placed on the beach roughly between Morro Bay High School and Azure Street, and while it may initially appear dark and/or black and aromatic due to its anoxic (lack of oxygen) condition at the time of dredging, it will typically lighten to background levels within a few days after being exposed to the sun and air. Prior to dredging, the material was tested and has been cleared by numerous Federal and State environmental/resource agencies for deposition to re-nourish our beaches.
To ensure safe and adequate road, beach and boardwalk access, ramps will be constructed over the pipeline at key location. All work will be in consultation and coordination with the City of Morro Bay to ensure safety as a top priority and the least amount of disruption to the public occurs. There will be impacts, and the community is requested to be patient while this necessary and critical dredging is taking place. Boaters in the area should slow down, pay attention to rig markings and be cautious around the operations.