Dredge arrives in Santa Barbara harbor to clear sand at shallow entrance

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The annual dredging of the Santa Barbara harbor will begin soon, and provide relief for boat owners who are concerned about increasing sand in the area.

The dredging is funded to insure safe passage for recreational vessels and a vibrant commercial fishing industry.

Often winter storms push tons of sand into the entrance due to ocean currents.

The dredge is located in the waters of West Beach. Associated equipment is on the beach.

Eventually a special pipe will be attached to the dredge and stretch down the coast, under Stearns Wharf, and to the east of Mission Creek.

There, the dredged sandy water will be flowing back into the ocean. Currents will take the sand down the coast to replenish beaches in areas including Montecito and Carpinteria.

In recent days, and especially at the low tide level during the King Tide period, the harbor entrance has been challenging for some boat owners.