Various Roles of the Harbor District

Woodley Island Marina
Port Development
Recreation
Conservation
Wildlife Area Management
Development Regulation
Information Gathering and Database Development
Aquaculture

Woodley Island Marina

The Woodley Island Marina is one of the most modern marinas in California and home base for the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District. The Marina provides 237 slips, a full service café and bar, hoist and forklift services, ships chandlery, boat rental, rides and lessons, work area, storage area, and office and shop spaces.

Port Development

One of the main reasons that the State of California created the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District was for the promotion of national and international commerce, fisheries and navigation within the Harbor District's boundaries. To that end, the Harbor District oversees and promotes many port development projects and programs. These include dredging; retention and improvement of commercial fishing facilities; other transportation improvement projects; Pilotage licensing and professional growth program; Oil Spill Co-op coordination; erosion control and shoreline protection projects; port marketing and mariculture. Specifically, these programs and projects include the following:

Dredging: The Humboldt Bay Harbor District has participated as local sponsor in two federally authorized channel deepening projects with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The Corps of Engineers is obligated to annually maintain the shipping channels in Humboldt Bay, however any improvement or modernization of these channels, such as deepening, requires a local sponsor. The most recent channel-deepening project was completed in April 2000 and deepened the Bar and Entrance Channels from -40' (MLLW) to -48' and the North Bay and Samoa Channels from -35' (MLLW) to -38'. This deepening project was done to improve navigation safety and commerce. Outside of the federally authorized navigation channels, the Harbor District is also responsible for completing periodic (5-8 years) maintenance dredging on District facilities such as Woodley Island Marina.

Retention and Improvements to Commercial Fishing Facilities: Commercial fishing is an integral part of the economy of Humboldt County and strongly supported by the District. In 1999, 12.1 million pounds of fish were landed at facilities in Humboldt Bay. In support of the fishing industry, the District built a boat building and repair facility at Fields Landing in the early 1980's. A 150-ton TravelLift© provides fast and efficient haul-out for vessel maintenance. The work dock at Woodley Island Marina enables loading and off-loading of heavy equipment. Commercial and private vessels use these facilities.

Transportation and Maritime Facility Improvements: The Harbor District continues to work with various State and Federal agencies to improve road, rail and air transportation links to the Port of Humboldt Bay. With only approximately 15 percent of Humboldt Bay's 33 miles of shoreline currently appropriate for harbor facility development, retention and improvement of existing facilities and historic harbor uses is critical to the port's future. Through careful planning, the Harbor District is committed to the appropriate modernization of harbor facilities in order to build the foundation for a real increase in the cargo handling capacity of the bay. In addition, the Harbor District works with the US Coast Guard and the Humboldt Bay Harbor Safety Committee to improve the placement, operation and maintenance of navigational aids within Humboldt Bay.

Pilotage: Pilots are individuals experienced in the navigation of large ocean going vessels within Humboldt Bay. Their experience with Humboldt Bay's many channels, strong currents and sometimes large swells is essential for safe navigation of these ships in and out of the Bay. In general, Pilots are required on all vessels over 300 gross tons. Although the Pilots do not work for the Harbor District, the District licenses the Pilots after satisfying experience and training criteria set by the District.

Oil Spill Co-op Coordination: The Oil Spill Co-op is set up as a mutual aid first responder between the Humboldt Bay Harbor District, City of Eureka, Englund Marine and Renner Petroleum. With Humboldt Bay's strong currents, quick response is essential to minimize damage done by the occasional oil spill. The co-op's main role is to quickly contain any spills at these facilities with pre-staged materials and trained personnel. Once contained, cleanup can occur. The Harbor District coordinates training and updates response material lists for the co-op.

Erosion Control and Shoreline Protection: To preserve, protect, and enhance portions of Humboldt Bay and Shelter Cove's open ocean boat launch facility from erosion, the District has implemented joint ventures with various agencies. One of these is an award-winning project in the Humboldt Bay community of King Salmon. The District organized this inter-agency project and engaged the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to act as its contractor. Two jetties that contain a constructed beach now protect the King Salmon community. The District has also shown an ongoing commitment to improving facilities at Shelter Cove. This project included a breakwater to protect the open-ocean boat ramp and a bluff stabilization project.

Port Marketing: Since the completion of the most recent Harbor Deepening project in 2000, the Harbor District has begun a port-wide marketing campaign. The intent of this campaign is to increase the Port of Humboldt Bay's visibility to worldwide market with the goal of optimizing and diversifying shipping activity to Humboldt Bay shipping terminals.

Mariculture: The unique tidal flushing of Humboldt Bay makes it the perfect environment for the culture of marine organisms (mariculture). Mariculture has been practiced in Humboldt Bay for most of the 20th century. Presently oysters are the primary species cultured in Humboldt Bay. The majority of the oyster culture occurs in north Humboldt Bay, also known as Arcata Bay. The majority of the mariculture operations in north bay are on tidelands leased from the Harbor District, City of Eureka, or City of Arcata. The Harbor District currently monitors oyster culture and current research efforts through its Mariculture Monitoring Committee.

Recreation

Development of recreational facilities is an important function of the District. The District has worked with various agencies and private individuals to develop facilities that enhance recreational opportunities. Woodley Island Marina, King Salmon beach, and the Shelter Cove open-ocean boat launching facility are examples of the District's commitment to recreational development. The Shelter Cove project includes the boat ramp, breakwater, public restrooms, a picnic area, and a stabilization of the beach access road. To date, nearly one million dollars has been invested in Shelter Cove. In addition, the Humboldt Bay Harbor District works on planning and improvements to other boat launch facilities, trails, water trails, and interpretive signage throughout the District's territory. The Harbor District also supports the efforts of other local agencies to develop water-oriented recreational facilities such as improvements to the Fields Landing Boat Ramp by Humboldt County and the improvement of facilities along Humboldt Bay's Eureka Channel as part of the City of Eureka's Waterfront Revitalization Plan.

Conservation

A careful balance is required for the Humboldt Bay Harbor District to promote commerce, fisheries, navigation, and recreational uses of the bay and protect Humboldt Bay's vast natural resources. Planning and management for the wise use of bay natural resources to prevent overexploitation, destruction or neglect is the key to maintaining this balance. To work toward achieving this balance, the Harbor District coordinates bay activities through an Interagency Coordination Committee and Mariculture Monitoring Committee. In addition, the Harbor District is developing a "Humboldt Bay Management Plan" using the expertise of 19 different agency and bay user group representatives. The District is also involved in many conservation activities including maintaining the most extensive bilgewater recovery system on Humboldt Bay; implementing the first ballast water exchange program on the west coast of north America; managing several wildlife areas; participating in or coordinating many natural resource research projects; and participating in or sponsoring many bay awareness educational events.

Wildlife Area Management

In addition to the Harbor District's ongoing conservation programs, the District also manages an maintains three wildlife areas in the Humboldt Bay area. These include the Gerald O. Hansen Wildlife Area on Woodley Island, the Park Street Marsh and the King Salmon Beach in the community of King Salmon.

Development Regulation

The Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District Act empowered the Board of Commissioners to grant permits, franchises and leases. Any individual, agency, association or corporation proposing a development within the jurisdiction of the Harbor District, must obtain a permit, lease or franchise from the Harbor District. The Harbor District's regulatory jurisdiction includes all of Humboldt Bay up to the mean higher high water level except for Indian, Woodley and Daby Islands where the Harbor District jurisdiction is up to the mean high water level. In addition to the Harbor District's ability to issue development permits for activities within Humboldt Bay, the District also has the ability to issue Administrative Permits and Emergency Permits.

In many cases, the Harbor District is also "lead agency" for development projects with regard to compliance with the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and routinely works with other permitting agencies on the environmental assessment of proposed projects. In most cases, the Harbor District permit will be issued before the California Coastal Commission Permit and the US Army Corps of Engineers Permit.

Information Gathering and Database Development

A variety of information sources are required for the Harbor District to meet its broad scope of responsibilities. Typically, the Harbor District coordinates with other agencies to either develop new information or to update existing information. Recently, the Harbor District has worked with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to update the Humboldt Bay Navigation Chart (2001) and to update the current survey and Coast Pilot. The Harbor District works regularly with the US Army Corps of Engineers on collecting and distributing navigation channel survey data and information necessary for updating current velocity and erosion modeling. The Harbor District has also worked with the Humboldt Bay Shellfish Technical Advisory Committee collecting information on water quality in Humboldt Bay and with CA Sea Grant studying eel grass distribution and density in Humboldt Bay. In order to make these and other types of information accessible to other regulatory agencies and the public, the Harbor District has lead an effort to create a GIS-format database with more than 20 layers of physical and biological information on Humboldt Bay. The core of this database was developed cooperatively between the Humboldt Bay Harbor District, US EPA, CA Coastal Conservancy, Humboldt State University Foundation, Chico State University Research Foundation and CA Department of Fish and Game. This information is constantly being updated and is available through this website.

Aquaculture

The unique tidal flushing of Humboldt Bay makes it the perfect environment for aquaculture. Presently oysters are under commercial production or development.