Downtown Benicia Abandoned Vessel and Marine Debris Removal Project Environmental and Engineering Design

The Downtown Benicia Abandoned Vessel and Marine Debris Removal Project includes the removal of hazardous marine debris from nearshore waters between West D and West C Streets in Benicia, CA, specifically eight large abandoned and derelict vessels (ADVs) and other associated debris. This removal will improve navigational safety, prevent further degradation of vital aquatic habitats, and enhance the local waterfront for the community. The City of Benicia is requesting proposals from qualified organizations to provide environmental consulting and engineering design services related to this project.

Benicia’s waterfront has a rich maritime history, dating back to its days as a transportation and commerce hub in the mid-19 ^th century. Notable historical features include site of the third California State Capital (1853), a stop on the Pony Express (1860-1861), the location of the Matthew Turner shipyard (1883) that built 169 vessels and was the largest shipbuilder in North America in that era, and southern Pacific Co’s ferryboat Solano, the world’s largest train ferry from 1879 to 1930. The town’s historic industrial and shipbuilding industry contributed significantly to the growth of the region, but remnants of this industry have resulted in marine debris deposits along Carquinez Strait on the Benicia waterfront.

The boatyard between West C Street and West D Street was owned and operated by a boat repairman and salvager for over 40 years. During the operator’s tenure, he expanded the boatyard well beyond the limits of his property, amassing an assemblage of commercial and military barges and boats at the site that have been in place and unused for many years. In April 2005, the boatyard operator passed away. Just weeks before the former owner’s death, Phil and Celeste Joy purchased two of his parcels. Since taking ownership of the property, Mr. and Mrs. Joy have removed and disposed of many of the floating barges and boats from the Bay, of which there were 16 and are estimated to have covered half of an acre of Bay surface area. They have also removed and disposed of the majority of the superficial material located on top of the sunken barges that remain in the Bay. The Joys have removed an estimated 100 tons of landside debris from the boatyard.

The remaining offshore debris continues to deteriorate and creates a hazard to navigation as well as degrading the key shoal habitats in this “bottleneck” for anadromous fish and other species. State and local governments spend millions of dollars every year attempting to clean up marine debris in the estuary, but this particular site has been neglected. The San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) director of regulatory affairs in 2012 said that they “...considered this site and the derelict vessels to be one of its most egregious legacy violations”.

The misuse of the Benicia waterfront is a relic of a past and now outdated practice. Future use of the site will be in strict conformance with the regulatory requirements of the City of Benicia, the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission. What was once an industrial location is now a mix of new and old residential and commercial uses.