Save Newport Real News in Newport Beach
This is the last weekend for Dog Beach!
Get your winter sandals on, because as we originally reported back in September, starting this coming Monday, Dog Beach will be undergoing dredging operation designed to keep the free-flow of water rolling down the Santa Ana (and not backing up and overflowing into residential areas). This will block off Dog Beach for at least a couple of months (possibly as late as May). The dredging will be 10 feet straight down, beginning about 10 feet from the jetty rocks (we can’t get too close to them or they’ll destabilize!). Nearly immediately, this will result in a tapering effect from the jetties, but this is how the efforts are to be led according to the Army Corps of Engineers.
Initially after re-opening, this will put Dog Beach underwater for all but the lowest of tides, but extreme runoff from the Santa Ana or a big South Swell will replenish the supply of sand very quickly– depending on Mother Nature’s schedule, of course.
This type of dredging usually happens every decade or so, but we’ve been long overdue on this one, and while smaller dredging operations have occurred recently, a big “overhaul” like this hasn’t occurred in about 15 years– but it’s needed, badly.
So here’s the big question: What the heck is the status with Dog Beach, anyway? It seems like every time you turn around, I keep saying “it’s almost here”. Well, every time I turn around, another state or federal agency is voicing their objection right after I do another release on it– but the good news is, we’ve got them almost all on-board now (working on the last one) and there are simply no other agencies left to object. We’ve literally battled it out with every possible agency on the local, county, state, and national levels, and we are on the final entity right now. After we bring them on-board just like we have with all the other ones, this will go to a vote on the County level, and then we will finally be done with it.
There have been rumors about people nearby protesting the vote, but the olive branch we have extended is that if they just allow us to have Dog Beach, we won’t pursue the Parks Beach and Rec vote which asked to extend Dog Beach to Orange Street. (However, if they continue to meddle, and make everyones life generally miserable, that offer is off the table and we will pursue the Orange Street option vigorously. We have the support, and we almost have the council to do it with– a little more convincing may be needed for some, but it is do-able, if needed!)
As for now, though, please take the weekend and enjoy a last run or two with your best friend(s) at the river jetties. They’ll be missing the spot for the next few months! Life is ruff.
