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Mission Bay dredging project will help boaters and replenish shrinking beaches

Mission Bay dredging project will help boaters and replenish shrinking beaches
Posted at 10:34 AM, Jan 18, 2018
and last updated 2018-01-18 13:40:04-05

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (KGTV) – Beginning this week, one of San Diego’s most popular destination will soon undergo much-needed maintenance.

The City will begin dredging the bottom of Mission Bay to increase navigational safety for boats; the last major dredging operation in Mission Bay was nearly 50 years ago. 

“Preserving and protecting our environment is part of San Diego’s DNA and projects like this will help conserve our beaches and bays for the next generation,” said Mayor Kevin L. Faulconer.

The dredging will primarily be done using a large barge-mounted crane that will excavate sections of the bay floor and transfer the material by two boats that will transport the material to a designated reuse area.

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A large amount of the extracted material will be placed at various other locations in the bay, with the remaining materials being used to restore beaches along Crown Point and Vacation Island. 

In an effort to mitigate potential impacts to marine wildlife, up to 70 acres of eelgrass will be replanted by a team of scuba divers, making this eelgrass replacement the largest one of its kind on the west coast. 

“This project is very complex, and our staff has worked very hard to prepare for this work, so the engineering aspects are going to be impressive and interesting to watch,” said James Nagelvoort, Director of the City’s Public Works Department.

During the work, sections of Mission Bay and certain beaches will be closed the public and are encouraged to keep a safe distance from construction equipment on the bay and beaches at all times. 

The project is anticipated to be completed October. For more information about the project, visit the city of San Diego's website.