Politics & Government

Marina Dredging Begins This Week

The project will deepen entrances to the marina.

Plans to dredge the Marina del Rey harbor will begin later this week, barring any unforeseen circumstances, according to a Department of Beaches and Harbors spokesperson.

The marina was last dredged in 1999, and officials estimate that about 1 million cubic yards of sediment from Ballona Creek and surrounding beaches have caused shoaling at the mouth of the harbor. The project, which officials expected to start in January, will deepen the marina’s north and south entrances. 

The US Army Corps of Engineers is overseeing the dredging that will transport about 75,000 and 140,000 cubic yards of clean sand to Redondo Beach and Dockweiler State Beach, respectively.

Find out what's happening in Marina Del Reywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Polluted soil, which makes up about two-thirds of the sediment and contains toxic chemicals like lead, mercury and zinc, will fill the Middle Harbor Redevelopment Project – a nine-year, $1.2 billion upgrade that will combine two antiquated shipping terminals in the Port of Long Beach into one, improving air quality and cargo accessibility.

The port expansion will create about 14,000 jobs and save about $85 million and 42,000 truck trips that would have been necessary to dump the sediment at inland sites, according to Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe.

Find out what's happening in Marina Del Reywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“This partnership was a once in a lifetime opportunity and the timing is perfect – Marina del Rey needs to get rid of sediment and Long Beach needs sediment,” he said on his website.

The county will pay $5.3 million for the project and the Corps of Engineers will contribute $7.7 million – a $2.4 million increase in funding from its original commitment. Long Beach is expected to chip in to move about 100,000 cubic yards of material. These funds will cover the cost of removing only about half of the sediment. 

The dredge Paula Lee is scheduled to arrive in the harbor on Wednesday afternoon. 


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