Maintenance dredging will return for a third consecutive year, keeping harbor waterways navigable while moving beach-quality sand south to help replenish Hueneme Beach.
CHANNEL ISLANDS HARBOR — Boaters and residents around Channel Islands Harbor can expect to see dredging equipment return this fall as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District prepares for another round of maintenance work aimed at keeping the harbor navigable and supporting nearby beaches.
Equipment staging is scheduled to begin in October, with dredging operations expected to start in November and continue through the end of February 2027. The work is being conducted by the Army Corps in coordination with the County of Ventura.
The upcoming project will mark the third consecutive year of dredging at Channel Islands Harbor, an unusual stretch for work that typically takes place every other year during an environmental window running from October through March.
The consecutive dredging cycles stem from work that could not be completed as originally planned in 2024 because of permitting, weather and operational issues. Dredging returned in 2025 to address the remaining work, and another cycle is now planned for the upcoming fall and winter.
Once the 2026-27 project is completed, Channel Islands Harbor is expected to return to its regular biennial dredging schedule.
For boaters, the work serves an important purpose. Sediment naturally accumulates around harbor entrances and navigation channels over time. Maintenance dredging removes that material to maintain appropriate depths and help vessels safely enter, leave, and navigate the harbor.
The Army Corps has conducted routine maintenance dredging at Channel Islands Harbor since the 1960s, making the operation a longstanding part of maintaining boating access in the area.
The project also serves a second purpose beyond the harbor itself.
Rather than simply disposing of suitable dredged material, beach-quality sand removed from Channel Islands Harbor will be hydraulically pumped approximately one mile south to Hueneme Beach. There, the material will be placed along the shoreline to help replenish sand and provide additional shoreline protection.
The process allows material that needs to be removed to maintain harbor navigation to also benefit beaches farther down the coast.
Manson Construction of Seattle, the Army Corps’ contractor for the project, will conduct the dredging.
Once underway, dredging is expected to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. However, the use of heavy equipment on Silver Strand Beach will be restricted to the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Residents, boaters and visitors may notice increased activity around Channel Islands Harbor beginning in October as equipment arrives and staging areas are established.
The contractor also may temporarily suspend dredging operations for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. During any holiday shutdowns, a portable generator will continue powering critical systems, while a small crew will remain on site to monitor equipment and maintain the project area.
Barring changes to the schedule caused by weather or other operational conditions, dredging is expected to continue through February 2027.
For Southern California boaters, maintenance dredging is one of the less visible but essential pieces of harbor infrastructure. While docks, launch ramps and marinas may be the parts boaters interact with every day, maintaining sufficient water depth is critical to keeping a working recreational harbor accessible.
At Channel Islands Harbor, the upcoming project will again combine that navigation work with beach replenishment, moving accumulated sand out of the harbor and returning suitable material to the coastline where it can provide another benefit.
With staging beginning in October and dredging following in November, harbor users should expect increased activity through the winter before the project concludes and Channel Islands Harbor returns to its traditional every-other-year dredging schedule.
