Reconnaissance Report For Navigation Improvements Reduction Of Shoaling At Santa Cruz Harbor Santa Cruz County California

This report was prepared in response to Section 811 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (WRDA 86) which calls for a study of long-term solutions to the shoaling problems at Santa Cruz Harbor in the interest of navigation. Hazardous navigation conditions at the entrance to Santa Cruz Harbor are the result of: (1) wave activity in the entrance caused by waves breaking over shallow depths adjacent to the entrance channel; and, (2) shoals in the entrance channel which require frequent dredging and also contribute to breaking waves. These conditions are the result of relatively high littoral transport and the harbor's small tidal prism which is insufficient in volume to naturally scour the jettied entrance. The purpose of this study was to evaluate alternatives over and above the without project condition designed to supplement Port District activities. Unfortunately, none of the potential solution studied was found to be economically justified due to the relatively low magnitude of navigation benefits that would be generated.