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SANDAG updates Carlsbad on Buena Vista Lagoon plan: convert to tidal influence, dredge material could benefit nearby beaches
Summary
SANDAG described a modified‑saltwater enhancement for Buena Vista Lagoon that would reopen the inlet, remove extensive cattail overgrowth, and dredge material — some of which may be suitable for placement on nearby beaches. The project has a $4 million design grant but needs additional funding to reach construction readiness.
SANDAG staff presented an update on the Buena Vista Lagoon enhancement project, describing sediment accumulation that has reduced open water by roughly 60 acres and a preferred modified‑saltwater alternative intended to reintroduce tidal influence, improve water circulation and water quality, and reduce mosquito vectors.
Kim Smith, SANDAG senior regional planner and project manager, told the commission the lagoon was converted to a freshwater system in 1940 and that decades of accretion have converted historic open water to dense cattail stands in several basins. Smith said technical studies indicate more than a million cubic yards of material may need removal and that an overdredge pit approach could permit reuse of sandy material on local beaches while…
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