Newport Beach : Council Approves Dredging of Sediment From Upper Bay

A $3.5-million project to dredge sediment out of Upper Newport Bay has been approved by the City Council.

Valley Engineers Inc. of Fresno is scheduled to begin dredging in March and finish by January, 1986, said John Wolter, senior civil engineer for the city. The work is intended to remove 818,000 cubic yards of sand and mud from upper Newport Bay in an area stretching from the Jamboree Road bridge to the so-called saltworks dike 2,000 feet south, Wolter said.

Construction workers will deepen and enlarge the existing basin in the upper bay to remove the sand and mud. Once the work is complete, Wolter said, future siltation can be moved more easily because it will be confined to the basin.

Financing of the project will involve seven organizations: the state Department of Fish and Game, the Irvine Co., City of Irvine, Orange County, City of Newport Beach, Port of Long Beach and state Coastal Conservancy, he said.

Newport Beach is administering the program, however, and is authorized to approve the construction contract with Valley Engineers, Wolter said. The city’s share of the project is $113,000.