San Dieguito Lagoon dredging kicks off

Routine dredging of the San Dieguito Lagoon inlet is set to begin this week, according to the City of Del Mar, California.

The dredging work, expected to last at least two weeks, will clear a buildup of sand and reroute the river channel away from the riprap revetment protecting homes on Sandy Lane.

Southern California Edison pays for the biannual dredging as part of a mitigation agreement that began more than 20 years ago with the utility’s financing of a $100 million restoration of the San Dieguito wetlands.

For the upcoming work, crews will block the river inlet temporarily to create access beneath the bridge for equipment to export some 20,000 cubic yards sand to deposit on the beach north and south of the river inlet.

Once the digging is done, crews will reopen a newly-created river channel during a low tide to allow water to flush from the lagoon basins into the sea.