TITLE
Recommendation to approve Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Long Beach Parks, Recreation and Marine Department, and the City of Long Beach Harbor Department, with regard to placement of dredge material from the Los Angeles River Estuary and the Catalina Basin, into a slip at Pier G. (District 2)
DISCUSSION
City Council approval is being requested for the Parks, Recreation and Marine Department (Parks) to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) (Attachment A) with the Harbor Department (Harbor) to place dredge sediments from the Los Angeles River Estuary (River) and the Catalina Basin (Basin), into a slip at Pier G. The Los Angeles River sends hundreds of thousands of cubic yards of sediment down river each year. Some settles in the soft bottom portion of the river south of Willow Street, while some of it continues in suspension out into San Pedro Bay. However, much of it settles in the estuary, the area generally known as Queensway Bay, where a man made access channel exists. This sediment fills in the channel utilized by recreational and commercial boat operations, including the Catalina Express transportation service to Catalina Island. Periodic dredging is thus necessary to keep the channel, and the docking basin for the Catalina Express, usable.
The maintenance of the River is the responsibility of the federal government, through the United States Army Corps of Engineers (ACE), and the maintenance of the Basin is the responsibility of the City of Long Beach. The City is also the local sponsor for the ACE dredging, which includes responsibility for locating a dredge spoil disposal site. Maintenance dredging of the Channel is necessary every three to five years, but has not been performed since 1999/2000. The Basin fills up more slowly, and was partially dredged in 2000.
The River shoaled during the heavy winter storms of January 2005, closing it to navigation for several months. It was reopened by temporary measures that allow ...
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