Work will begin this week to begin dredging the Mission Bay Channel to make it safer for recreational and commercial boaters accessing the Pacific Ocean, it was announced today.
The $5.3 million project, which is being overseen by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, was paid for through federal stimulus funding and will take about 30 days to complete, according to Mayor Jerry Sanders' office.
"This dredging project is vital to increase the depth of the channel and eliminate the breaking waves that currently pose a grave danger to boaters during periods of large ocean swells,'' Sanders said.
Actual dredging will begin Sept. 21, but crews will begin setting up piping and other equipment tomorrow.
Sand dredged from the channel will be used to replenish a mile-long stretch of South Mission Beach, according to the mayor's office.
Earlier this year, work was completed on repairs to Mission Bay's South Jetty, which had been damaged in storms.
