Bay testing to be requested

Newport Beach Harbor Resources plans to propose to Newport Beach City Council members that they consider lower-bay water testing so officials can determine how much it will cost to dredge the lower bay.

The testing would focus on areas along West Lido Channel, near Via Lido Soud between the Marina Park and 10th Street, and the areas outside the Newport Harbor Yacht Club and the Federal Anchorage.

Both areas will take longer to test because of contamination. It could cost more than $100,000, officials said.

“In order to test the lower bay, we must have the whole bay tested to the same standards,” said Newport Beach Harbor Resources supervisor Chris Miller, referring to the fact the bay has been tested before for other projects. “Some areas are in great shape, and some areas are not.”

The city has set aside $100,000 for testing and can absorb any costs that may go over that amount by using reserves, Asst. City Manager Dave Kiff said.

The testing is vital for the project because it can determine what method the city can use for disposal. An offshore disposal site would be considerably cheaper for the city, but if the testing shows high levels of contamination, officials would be forced to use an inland disposal method, a much pricier option.

“The whole idea is to downsize the areas of contaminants,” Councilwoman Leslie Daigle said. “If you do more sampling, it could look different.”

If the council approves the project, testing could begin shortly after as Miller said there is a “sense of urgency” with the project. Right now, Miller estimated the lower bay dredging could be priced at between $12 million and $14 million, but the testing results and disposal method could change that.

As for the upper bay, time is running out to come up with the money to pay for the remainder of the project. Phase one is scheduled to be completed in September, and about $20 million is needed to pay for the second phase of the dredging.

About $2 million to $4 million from the Wildlife Conservation Board in Sacramento could become available soon, Kiff said. That amount could keep the project’s contractors at work for another couple of months, but is nowhere near the amount needed to pay for the project.

The project has already grown from $38 million when first tallied to $42 million, and more delays could take it up to the $45 million range. If money runs out, the contractors could leave, and costs to bring them back and remobilize could be expensive, between $500,000 and $1 million on top of the project’s current costs, Miller said.

A slim bright spot for the project is the contractor’s next gig could be one in Dana Point, which is only a short distance from Newport Beach.

If the money were to run out and the contractors left, it would only be a minimal cost to bring them back from Dana Point, and the project there would function as a healthy stall, affording the city and other stakeholders the time to try to scrounge the money together needed for the project or come up with a different plan.

DANIEL TEDFORD may be reached at (714) 966-4632 or at [email protected].