EDITORIAL

Dredging up support for San Rafael Canal

Marin Independent Journal 6-20-01

 

THE SAN RAFAEL CANAL is an economic artery for Marin County, crucial to an estimated $10 million worth of local commercial business every year.

Unfortunately, it’s now clogged with mud.

The dredging of the canal, which should be done every five years, was last done in 1992. While the canal should have at least six feet of clearance during the average low tide, it now has about a foot.

Businesses and residents are joining forces with San Rafael City Hall to lobby for a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers grant to complete the dredging.

It is unfortunate that the corps has been unable to put the San Rafael Canal on some sort of regular schedule.

But cutbacks in the corps’ maintenance budget have left the San Rafael Canal on the proverbial budget bubble.

Other corps-endorsed projects apparently have more political prominence.

San Rafael Public Works Director David Bernardi said the city has to fight harder to win funding.

The city already has asked Main’s federal lawmakers, Rep. Lynn Woolsey, D-Petaluma, and Sens. Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein, for their political help, which is critical.

At stake are the marinas, boat sales and maintenance businesses and fishing boats that depend on the canal.

Also at stake is a waterway that is part of the city’s ambience and character.

San Rafael City Hall already has committed $500,000 and secured a dredge spoils site for the project, which is expected to cost $2.3 million.

The city isn’t turning its back on its responsibility to get the San Rafael Canal dredged neither should the federal government.