Posted on June 9, 2021
San Rafael Creek could be dredged — at least in part — next summer.
The Biden administration’s proposed budget sets aside $6.75 million for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to begin working on the $13 million project. The budget must be approved by congressional committees and is expected to be finalized in October, according to the city.
Due to years of neglect and minimal funding, the creek has not been fully dredged since about 2003. It was partially dredged in 2011, but storms have carried sediment into the channel and shoaled it to depths as shallow as 2 feet in some parts, said Bill Guerin, the public works director.
“This project very important for a bunch of reasons,” Guerin said. “The canal is a flood control channel, a recreational and shipping channel that is also used for police and fire rescue.”
Despite the likelihood of incoming funds, the project still has a $6.34 million budget shortfall, he said. The $1.3 million in funding that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers received last year was earmarked for design, while this round of funding will be used for dredging costs, he said.
“If we only had the $6.75 million we would only be able to do a partial dredge,” he said. “So instead several feet, it would be dredged only a foot or two, which wouldn’t be very helpful and similar to what happened in 2011.”
City officials have been working with Rep. Jared Huffman, whose district includes Marin, as well as Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla to secure the allocation.
San Rafael Mayor Kate Colin said she is delighted the city has federal funding earmarked for the project.
“We are incredibly grateful to Congressman Huffman for his ongoing advocacy,” Colin said. “In terms of the funding shortfall, it is common that for large infrastructure projects there are many sources of funding, and this one is no different. The federal funds will enable the city to attract more resources so that this project can be completed.”
About 12,000 residents live within half a mile of the channel, and 2,000 boats moor in its five harbors, according to the city. The boats include 135 liveaboards.
Guerin said a complete dredging is needed. Since the last complete dredging, the watercourse has constricted to about 2.4 feet in the inner channel and 4.8 feet in the outer channel. Federally authorized depth is 6 and 8 feet, respectively.
Nadine Urciuoli, vice president of Helmut’s Marine Service Inc., said boats regularly get stuck in mud while trying to navigate the channel.
“As a business that operates on the waterway, I have to be extremely careful of the draft of boats that come in, and very careful of the tide, which determines when we can function, test boats or drop off or pick up boats,” Urciuoli said. “We are all constantly working around the tide to get work done.”
She said a full dredge of the channel would not just help improve navigability.
“There are huge public safety concerns as well,” she said. “There’s a real flood risk and there are seven stations that pump storm water directly into the channel, protecting a huge populated area around what is considered FEMA flood zone.”
“The other issue is that the firefighters actually use the part of the channel to help fight fires,” she said.
Guerin said the part of the channel has that’s been used in the past to fight fires is next to the bridge on Grand Avenue.
“If there was a wildfire in San Rafael or somewhere nearby, there is a turning basin where helicopters scoop up water and take it uphill or wherever it needs to go,” he said.
Urciuoli said that function is not possible with the channel’s current state of sediment buildup, but that would change with a complete dredging.
“It’s almost been 20 years since the last full channel dredging,” she said.
