Posted on April 15, 2026
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OCEANSIDE — Rep. Mike Levin (D-Dana Point) has secured over $8.2 million in federal funds for two rounds of maintenance dredging in the Oceanside Harbor this calendar year, the Congressman’s office announced Monday.
The additional funding will allow the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to dredge the harbor in the spring and again in the fall, as the city addresses emergency shoaling conditions and prepares to switch to a regular annual fall dredging schedule.
Levin, who represents the 49th District covering parts of North San Diego County and south Orange County, said he was proud to secure this funding to ensure the harbor can continue operating safely for commercial users, the military, and the larger community.
“Regular dredge work is critical to keeping the harbor open, and this additional funding will allow the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to address emergency conditions and continue maintenance dredging operations. This funding will ensure that all of those who use this harbor are able to do so safely,” Levin said.
During the annual dredging, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers pulls up sand from the mouth of the Oceanside Harbor and pumps it onto city beaches. The project makes for safer boat navigation in the harbor, and bulks up the shrinking beaches with 200,000 to 300,000 cubic yards of new sand.
While dredging has typically taken place in the spring to replenish beaches in time for the summer, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Oceanside leaders decided in February to pivot to a fall dredging schedule going forward based on updated research.
Dredging later in the year will make it easier to place the dredging pipe on the beach due to the presence of additional sand. It will also allow more sand to reach the city’s southern beaches, as sediment will naturally flow away from the harbor and distribute further south.
It will also provide a buffer for city infrastructure during any major winter storms, staff said.
Since the end of the year, Oceanside has been under a state of local emergency due to a significant buildup of sand (also known as shoaling) in the harbor entrance channel. This buildup has caused boats to capsize from breaking waves and run aground in the shallow conditions.
The entrance channel is the navigable entrance to Oceanside Harbor and Camp Pendleton’s Del Mar Boat Basin, and is framed by the harbor breakwater and the city’s north jetty. It is considered a “critical harbor of refuge” as it serves both commercial and military vessels.
