Maintenance Dredging Program Presentation by Rincon Consultants Click Here
The Ventura Harbor entrance channel and sand trap (the area behind the offshore breakwater) require annual maintenance dredging in order to ensure that vessel traffic can safely access the harbor and its maritime support facilities. This effort is a responsibility of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers pursuant to Public Law 90-483, approved by the U.S. Congress in August 1968. The Corps usually accomplishes the dredging in the first quarter of each calendar year provided that Congress has included funding for the effort in their current federal budget.
The need for the maintenance dredging results from the down coast movement of an average of about 600,000 cubic yards of sandy material each year which is deposited by littoral processes in the sand trap and entrance channel. If this material is not dredged and deposited on the down-coast beaches, the harbor entrance can become unsafe for vessel navigation and our beaches are not adequately renourished. Securing the necessary federal funding for the dredging effort for the US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) is an ongoing challenge that the Port District works diligently to facilitate. The District devotes considerable time and effort in coordinating with the Corps their District office in Los Angeles, the Division office in San Francisco, and their Headquarters in Washington, D.C. as well as meeting regularly with our federally elected representatives in Congress and the Senate. These efforts result in strong support from our federal partners and representatives in the annual request for $7+ million in dredging funds be appropriated for the Corps in maintaining our entrance channel.
Additionally, The Port District is responsible for permitting, funding and contracting the periodic maintenance dredging of all navigation channels within the inner harbor and harbor entrance. Cooperatively, the City of Ventura works with the District to maintain access to the Ventura Keys. In order to assure that funds are available to fulfill its obligation, the District has established a $3 Million dredging reserve. Each year, the District and City evaluate the need to dredge the stub channel into the Ventura Keys and perform dredging as required and conditions permit.
California Marine Affairs & Navigation Conference (CMANC)
Throughout each year, District staff attends multiple CMANC meetings to coordinate with other port agencies and federal Government officials to help in securing funding for the Corps to perform the Harbor’s annual maintenance dredging. CMANC is a consortium of California harbors, ports, and marine contractors, and interest groups and has strong, active participation from the Corps of Engineers. The mission of CMANC is to optimize California maritime benefits by providing advocacy for the maintenance and improvement of California harbors, ports, and navigation projects. CMANC works with the congressional delegation to make sure that California maritime interests are supported by the federal government to the greatest extent possible.
Dredge Updates & Safety Notice to Boaters
Through most of March, the Manson Construction Company will be dredging the entrance to Ventura Harbor as well as the sand trap, located to the West of the channel, as well as the inner harbor stub channel to the Ventura Keys.