Oceanside could see harbor channel dredged twice in 2026 to reduce risks

Oceanside and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are recommending that the Oceanside Harbor channel be dredged twice in 2026 to transition the annual maintenance procedure from the spring to the fall.

The city and the Corps also are trying to expedite the usual spring excavation to remove a sand bar that grew more rapidly than usual near the harbor entrance, creating a hazard for boats that enter or leave the channel.

The Oceanside City Council declared a local emergency in November in an unsuccessful effort to get an early, unscheduled dredging to clear the channel. The next opportunity appears to be in March, though the city is still pushing for earlier if possible.

“We wanted to have an emergency dredge immediately,” Mayor Esther Sanchez said last week at a special meeting of the city’s Harbor and Beaches Advisory Committee.

Harbor safety has become a critical issue, Sanchez said. At least two boats overturned in rough conditions and needed rescues near the entrance this fall.

“It’s gotten to the point where only very experienced boaters can get through there,” Sanchez said.

Sanchez spoke as a guest, along with three other Oceanside residents, at a special meeting the committee held to review the harbor situation.

The Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for keeping the channel safe for navigation into and out of the side-by-side Oceanside and Camp Pendleton harbors. As a secondary benefit, the sediment removed is used to...