San Elijo Lagoon dredging project slightly delayed

Nature Collective, the nonprofit organization coordinating the San Elijo Lagoon project, has performed limited inlet maintenance of the lagoon mouth at Cardiff State Beach.

Using a land-based excavator, a small channel was created to drain accumulated lagoon water and manage storm runoff.

Pacific Dredge and Construction’s dredging operation, originally set for February 14, is delayed due to weather, current lagoon water levels and incomplete modifications to the Sanderling dredge.

A crucial part for the Sanderling modifications, delayed by the manufacturer, has no estimated arrival date at this time.

Nature Collective’s top organizational priority is removing sand from the channel via aquatic dredge, as land-based excavation will only bring the water levels down temporarily.

Once the aquatic dredge operation begins, Pacific Dredge and Construction will mobilize the Sandpiper Dredge from behind Ki’s Restaurant in Cardiff, taking about 30 days to dredge 70,000 cubic yards of sand from east of the Coast Highway 101 bridge in Cardiff-by-the-Sea to the San Elijo Lagoon Nature Center.

A two to three-day land-based excavation will follow west of the bridge, with all sand placed in front of the Chart House restaurant.