Plans underway to dredge San Rafael Creek

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has begun planning a dredge operation for the federal channel of the San Rafael Creek in 2026.

On its website, the City of San Rafael (CA) thanked all those who were involved in securing federal funding and appropriations for USACE so they can begin working on their sampling and analysis plan, with an anticipated dredging period of September through December of 2026.

Federally authorized in 1918, the San Rafael Federal Navigation Channel runs from the San Francisco Bay into the heart of northern Marin County.

In early 2023, the channel was fully dredged for the first time in 20 years. The last full dredging of the channel was completed by Army Corps of Engineers in 2002.

The current measurements in the channel measure navigation depths at only 20-40% of their federally authorized levels. A partial dredge was completed by USACE in 2011.