Funds secured for Santa Cruz Harbor dredging

California Congressman Jimmy Panetta announced yesterday that $540,000 from the 2022 budget package will go to the Santa Cruz Port District to help cover the cost of its annual maintenance dredging.

According to Panetta, this funding will be used to maintain the commercial and recreational safety of this historic harbor on the Central Coast.

“The dredging of the Santa Cruz Harbor is a necessary and constant burden that must be completed in order to have navigable and safe harbor,” said Rep. Panetta. “Fortunately, we’ve been working very closely with the Port Commissioners who helped me build the case to advocate for and secure this much-needed funding through the Congressional 2022 appropriations process.”

“Support for the Santa Cruz Port District’s annual maintenance dredging is necessary to ensure the safety of commercial and recreational interests along the Central Coast,” said Port Commission Chairman Reed Geisreiter. “We are thrilled to see this critical federal funding for the Port District included as part of the FY22 omnibus.”

Dredging of the harbor is required because of the constant easterly movement of sand along the central coast and across the harbor entrance. Such movement is generated by the ongoing forces of waves and currents.

Additionally, dredging reduces shoaling along the western margins in order to clear the center channel. It also ensures that the shoulder areas remain deep enough to place anchors and provides safe mooring areas.

The Santa Cruz Harbor and the Army Corps of Engineers operate on an annual cost-sharing agreement for dredging. The harbor is responsible for 30 percent of total costs.