This page will depict how the Canal has been maintained and  offer insights into how its dredging, maintenance and functionality could be improved.

Much of the land that now has Home Depot, Spinnaker Bay ponds and housing development and much of the other development land in East San Rafael has come from dredge spoils being placed on the land.  The Federal Government's 1998 Long Term Management Study calls for beneficial reuse (creating of land) of dredge spoils as the most environmental and economic use of dredge materials.

The City of San Rafael, thanks to the 1923 Federal Maintenance Dredging Act, serves as the local sponsor for disposing of dredge materials.  Without an uplands disposal site for beneficial reuse, disposing of dredge material in the bay or delta is more costly and environmentally damaging -- due to pollution caused in moving spoils, fishing disturbances in dumping and spoils re-depositing, etc.

Three reasons hinder the Canalways site from being used to offer itself for beneficial environmental and economic spoils reuse:

1) Politically potent pressure groups who oppose and will continue opposing almost any use for Canalways.

2) Low recognition by City officials as to the importance of using Canalways for beneficial reuse or to address housing, recreation or educational needs.  More knowledge by community activists and consequent pressure on the City as to the possible beneficial uses available at Canalways could raise the City's recognition factor on Canalways. 

3) High cost to the property owners associated with undertaking the environmental review and permitting process to allow just the dumping of spoils on the uplands portion of the site.

The links to the left give you more information as to why Canalways could cost effectively address environmental and recreation issues that hamper the San Rafael Canal's optimum use.

Some 2001 issues that need more understanding and attention include:

a) Canal's Marin Boatworks, in business for 10 years, hauling, raising and painting boats. is reputedly going out of business. Why? Two reasons have been discussed.  One involves a toxic gas container found on the site from decades ago and the inability of the Boatworks tenant to find a cheap way to guarantee the soil's bio-remeidation.  The other reason is given as the lack of regular canal dredging caused the Boatwotrks owner to feel he could not get enough boat work to cover his projected costs.

b) How serious is the hidden danger of having a silted up canal when the canal also serves as a flood control basin for San Rafael?  In its present un-dredged condition, the Canal would not hold much water in a potential flood period.  A fully dredged and maintained canal serves as a strong line of defense during potential flood periods.

c)  According to the County Tax assessor the property value of boats along the Canal in the year 2000 was $28,304,586. One percent of that value, or $283,045 went to the City as tax revenues.  Are property owners getting full value on their fully taxed boats when they are often mired in mud?  

d) During fires the San Rafael Creek has been used as a source of water-scooping by firefighting helicopters.  A silted-up canal does not offer fire-fighting helicopters the opportunity to scoop water to douse fires.  How dangerous is it to ignore this aspect of public safety.  

e)  How much revenue have Canal Marina owners lost by having  rental tie-ups move to other better maintained waterways due to a dredging program that has become inadequate over the last 10+ years.  How many Marina owners are close to quitting?  How many other Marin related businesses will soon be forced to quit?

Canal's expensive waterside houses are also mudded-in.  Aren't the valuations on those homes also being spoiled by non-removal of spoils?  Take a look at the pictures below, if you need pictorial convincing.

Just how bad is the Canal waterways?  Take a look at some pictures:

Canal behind Monticito Shopping Center at high tide (when the depth of the Canal is hidden) and 

Monticito at low tide (when the Canal's true condition is revealed).

 

Docked sailboat at high tide and 

same boat at low tide.

 

Private docks -- mudded boats at low tide and 

bags left at private mudded private docks and 

small motors lifted from mudded canal.

 

Scout boat at Canal front neat turn-around at low tide.

Keep that rowboat high and dry

Houseboat in mud stays home.

Marin IJ stories and editorial on the Canal waterway include:

Canal waterways in bad shape... June 7, 2001

Dredging up support for San Rafael Canal... June 20, 2001

Letters regarding the San Rafael Creek:

Patrick Hetrick letter 6-7-01

L. H. Luckham letter 6-14-01

Clam or suction Canal spoils since 1928

Canal & Across the Flats map

Amounts & costs dredged 1954-91

Cheaply bioremediate Canal toxics

Suctioning to Clays vs. $8.00 clam saves?

Suctioning to Cways vs. $10.00 clam saves?

Army Corps Info

IJ Editorial Dredging up support for..