Carpinteria Salt Marsh dredging wraps up

The County of Santa Barbara has completed work on the Carpinteria Salt Marsh Dredging Project.

“After removing five to seven feet of sediment and connecting the marsh with the ocean, we saw leopard sharks and striped mullet in the creek. These projects not only protect the life and property of local residents, they restore habitat for the wildlife in the area,” said the County.

The aim of the dredging works was to reduce the risk of flooding to adjacent properties and the City itself.

“After the creek flows receded following the extreme rains from January 2023, the Carpinteria Salt Marsh revealed an extreme amount of sedimentation,” the County said in the release. “This sedimentation obstructs Santa Monica Creek and Franklin Creeks. When these channels are obstructed, the community is at increased risk for flooding throughout the City of Carpinteria.”

Obstructed channels also interrupt the tidal cycle in the marsh, which reduces habitat for fish and wildlife that rely on open water channels for habitat and foraging.

The County used a hydraulic dredge to remove the sediment and pump it into the surf zone at a designated location near the mouth of the Salt Marsh.