Harbor Dredge to Begin

The US Army Corps of Engineers annually dredges the mouth of the Oceanside Harbor for safe navigation of vessels. The 2026 dredge is expected to begin mobilization of equipment and pipe on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, and the dredging is set to begin about Monday, April 6, 2026. The operation is expected to wrap up by May 9, 2026, barring any equipment issues. Bad weather and high waves can also temporarily pause operations, which may cause this timeline to shift.

Please use caution at the beach during the dredge operation.

The sand dredged from the Harbor inlet is pumped onto Oceanside beaches. The amount of sand available each year to be placed on the beaches is dependent on how much excess sand fills in the harbor entrance each winter; it varies from year to year, but usually ranges between 200,000-300,000 cubic yards of sand. How far south the dredged sand can be deposited is dependent on the erosion that occurred during the preceding months. Often, the beach on the north side of the Pier must be filled in substantially in order to support the pipe that must be laid on the beach.

Safety measures planned during the dredging operation include a delineated pathway for moving heavy equipment, posted signs, flagmen, and a lead vehicle for tractors. No events in the area will be permitted during any portion of the dredge cycle. Environmental safety measures will also be implemented. Snowy Plover monitoring will be in place; a fence will be set up near the San Luis Rey River outlet. The area will be monitored for grunion.

Water quality is also consistently monitored during the dredge operations, per permit requirements from the California Coastal Commission and Water Board. If any water quality issues were to arise, dredging operations would cease until the issue is addressed and testing shows the issue is abated.

For questions on this, please contact the US Army Corps of Engineers at (213) 452-3921 or email [email protected].

Any updates on the work will be posted to the City webpage.