Santa Barbara County to conduct dredging operations in Carpinteria Salt Marsh

CARPINTERIA, Calif. – The City of Carpinteria and the County of Santa Barbara are finalizing plans to conduct dredging operations in the Carpinteria Salt Marsh currently planned to begin in Mid-March.

After creek flows receded following heavy rains in January of 2023, Carpinteria Salt Marsh channels had excess sediment that impacted the outflow of Santa Monica and Franklin Creeks putting surrounding communities, including Carpinteria, at increased risk for floods according to Santa Barbara County.

The county also points to the impact of obstructed salt march channels on the tidal cycle and wildlife habitats.

A hydraulic dredge vessel has been selected to move sediment from these drainage channels and into the surf zone near the mouth of the marsh.

Following the debris flows on Jan. 9 of 2018, similar methods were used to dredge the excess sediment found in the salt marsh and for the same reasons.

These dredging operations will be conducted using emergency permits from state and federal agencies after Santa Barbara County proclaimed a state of emergency on Jan. 9, 2023.

County Flood Control staff will take samples of the sediment and ocean water in the area, send them to state regulatory agencies and post the results here.