Santa Barbara waterfront areas expected to be fully reopened after recent tidal overflow event
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Last week's tidal overflow into the Santa Barbara Harbor area parking lots has taken several days of clean up work, but the bulk of the job is done.
The harbor lot drained down a few hours after the tidal overflow and it took the drop in the tide to create the flow back to the ocean. When the tide was up and the overflow was taking place, the water did not drain at all.
The "harbor west" parking lot was full of sand and debris after the high tide and ocean surge sent waves into the parking area and out to the bike lanes.
"Getting that (sand) off and back on the beach, it required we had three loaders on site and operators all day to get the sand back on the beach," said Waterfront Director Mike Wiltshire. His department was assisted by skip loaders and workers from the Public Works staff and the Parks and Recreation Department.
Heavy equipment was used over the weekend, and on Wednesday waterfront crews were finishing up with shovels and smaller mobile cleanup units to collect the sand.
Most of it went right back to the beach in the form of a sand wall or berm to create a defense in case another high tide hits.
The next one is not expected to have the powerful surge or directional impact as the last one.
Wiltshire said his crews were ready for last week's event, although no one knew what the extent would be in advance.
He said, "the main impacts on our end were here in the harbor west lot, at the yacht club parking lot and in harbor way."
Now that it is over, he said, the entire area was spared major damage, but it was close. All the businesses are open in the harbor, including restaurants and ocean related retail shops.
It is also the area where the Santa Barbara Harbor Patrol office is headquartered and patrol vehicles are parked.
Mayor Randy Rowse has been in the area several times for a first hand look at the tidal impacts and cleanup operations.
The Santa Barbara Yacht Club parking lot, leased by the city to the club, was flooded last week. It has also been cleaned up and reopened to the members.
A trio of friends walking through were in the area about the time of the event.
Diane Ekker said, "there was mud everywhere, it was incredible how far the water came up."
They stopped for a few moments on their six mile walk, to check out the work.
Tricia Evenson said, "I think it is really amazing the last couple of days what's been done here."
The weather event came at a time when vacationers were out in full force, enjoying the waterfront and it's businesses. Many will still be around for the first part of January due to the extended school breaks.
