Temporary Closure of Goleta Beach Park and Pier for Sediment Management Operations
Santa Barbara County in California will be temporarily closing the eastern section of Goleta Beach Park and Goleta Pier starting from February 20, 2024, owing to urgent storm response and beach nourishment efforts.
According to a recent update from the County, site preparation work is slated to commence on February 13, with operations kicking off on February 20. During the period of site preparation from February 13 to February 20, certain sections of the park may be intermittently closed, although the park will remain accessible to the public during weekends on February 10-11 and February 17-19.
Schedule of Operations
Once full-fledged operations commence on February 20, 2024, public access to the east end of the park and Goleta Pier will be restricted. Work will be ongoing until storm response objectives are met, with operations potentially running for 10 hours a day, Monday through Saturday.
The scope of these operations specifically involves the management of sediment sourced from the Goleta Slough watersheds. Excessive sediment buildup in flood-control channels encompassing areas such as the airport vicinity, Old Town Goleta, and sections of the Eastern Goleta Valley has been triggered by recent storms.
While these channels and basins are instrumental in safeguarding the community by capturing sediment and floodwaters, the removal of sediment is imperative to reinstate optimal flood control measures.