Eelgrass project may ease dock owners’ lot

June Casagrande

Eel grass will be planted in Newport Harbor as part of a test program

that could provide relief to residents who face strict environmental

restrictions on dredging under their docks.

The Army Corps of Engineers in April or May will begin planting

eel grass at eight spots in the harbor. The federal government will

foot the $300,000 price.

“This is basically a pilot project to see if eel grass will return

to those areas in the harbor now that the water quality has improved

there,” said Tom Rossmiller, harbor resources director for the city.

Eel grass has become an increasing problem for residents who want

to dredge under their docks. The underwater plant is federally

protected because it serves as habitat for marine life, including

some endangered species. Under federal rules, a resident who removes

eel grass from under or around a private dock must replace 120% of

the eel grass that was removed. The dock owner can pay to have it

replanted in the same place it was before or elsewhere in the harbor.

Then comes the expensive part: The dock owner is responsible for

monitoring the replanted eel grass for five years. If after five

years, at least 120% of the removed eel grass isn’t still thriving,

the dock owner is still responsible for replacing it.

If the eel grass beds planted by the Army Corps thrive, the city

will ask federal regulatory agencies to allow private dock owners to

use the new beds to plant replacement eel grass. For a flat fee, the

city would monitor the growth for five years and assume

responsibility if the eel grass didn’t thrive.

“There are economies of scale in having the city do it instead of

doing it individually,” Rossmiller said.

In recent years, the eel grass population in the harbor has been

on the wane because of colder water temperatures and water pollution

that has blocked out some of the light it needs to grow. Water

quality has since improved, and environmentalists hope that the

conditions are now good for the Army Corps’ replanting project.

City Hall environmentalists agree that eel grass is an important

resource, but believe that the requirements on private dock owners

are too stringent.

“This could save those private property owners a lot of money,”

Assistant City Manager Dave Kiff said.

* JUNE CASAGRANDE covers Newport Beach and John Wayne Airport. She

may be reached at (949) 574-4232 or by e-mail at

june.casagrande@latimes.com.