Dredging up a problem in Newport Beach

Who would have thought that some sand could turn out to be a big

problem for a beach city? But that’s exactly what’s happening in

Newport Beach.

Within weeks, masses of sediment from dredging about to begin in

the Santa Ana River will need a new resting place. And the one

initially planned by the Army Corps of Engineers, which is doing the

work, proved so unpopular that the Newport Beach City Council on

Tuesday prohibited the corps’ plans.

The council certainly was right to balk at the original proposal,

which would have just spread the sediment along the beach of West

Newport, and ask the corps to find an alternative. Unless the corps

truly can assure Newport residents and potential beachgoers that

sediment from a notoriously dirty river will be clean and safe, the

stuff doesn’t belong right on top of the sand. Other potential

problems -- whether a simple aesthetic one, damage to the surf and

flow of water and harm to the sea life on and around the jetties --

just exacerbate the central concern.

The trouble, of course, with changing the plan is the cost. The

dredging project already is tabbed at $4.5 million and the corps has

a contract with the company doing the initial clearing, which has

begun upstream near Adams Avenue. The popular alternative of putting

the sediment offshore could add $1.5 million to the price tag.

By siding with concerned residents this past week, City Council

members have signaled that they think this problem is one worth

spending time and money on. By pressing for the corps to put the

sediment offshore or find other workable alternatives, they also seem

to be suggesting that they know finding millions more for the

much-needed work to control flooding along the Santa Ana River is not

likely.

So it is time to come up with less costly substitutes. One we’ve

heard involves creating a temporary peninsula just offshore at the

mouth of the river. The sediment still could be moved on trucks --

the cheaper option -- but would be put into a relatively natural

state similar to what would happen following an extraordinary storm

of the “100-year” variety. Surfers would get a short-term break of

uncertain but potentially terrific waves. Beachgoers would not face a

beach suddenly hundreds of feet wider with a dangerous shoreline.

Homeowners would not have the headache of trucks tooling between 32nd

and 56th streets. And the river still would get cleaned out.

Surely there are other ideas equally valid.