Thumbs Up: Solving a lingering Bodega Harbor issue

Given the limit on salmon and crab fishing in recent years, North Coast fishermen have had a hard enough time without having to worry about their deep-hulled ships running aground due to built-up sediment in Bodega Bay. But that concern is about to end thanks to a commitment by the Army Corps of Engineers to move ahead with some long-needed dredging work in Bodega Harbor.

As reported on Saturday, the Army Corps will be removing some 110,000 cubic yards of sediment that has built up since the harbor was last dredged 13 years ago. The work has been on the back shelf until now primarily because of a lack of funding. Local officials say credit goes to recently retired Sonoma County Regional Parks Director Caryl Hart along with Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Saint Helena, and Rep. Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, for securing the funds needed to get the project done. Supervisor Linda Hopkins also made a trip to Washington, D.C. in support of the cause. Thumbs up to all of them for dredging up these much-needed funds.