Oakland Inner Harbor, Alameda County, California, deep draft navigation improvements: Draft feasibility study, environmental impact statement

DRAFT FEASIBILITY STUDY AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT OAKLAND INNER HARBOR CALIFORNIA DEEP-DRAFT NAVIGATION AUG 02 1983 %'SCH\U>£> United States Army Corps of Engineers ...Serving the Army ...Serving the Nation San Francisco District JULY 1983 DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY SAN FRANCISCO DISTRICT, CORPS OF ENGINEERS 211 MAIN STREET SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA 94105 OAKLAND INNER HARBOR ALAMEDA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA DEEP DRAFT NAVIGATION IMPROVEMENTS DRAFT FEASIBILITY STUDY ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT SYLLABUS The purpose of this study is to investigate navigation conditions at Oakland Inner Harbor and to determine whether the provision for improvement of existing deep-draft channels is advisable. Oakland Inner Harbor Channel provides deep-draft access for the Port of Oakland. It was found that the growth of foreign and coastwise shipments and the introduction of larger vessels in the World Pacific Basin Fleet have rendered the existing Federal project channel and turning basin inadequate and inefficient for modern transportation needs. Traveling and maneuvering of the vessels are restricted and the channel is too shallow for larger containerships which must await high tide to navigate the channel. Various solutions to the navigation problems in the Oakland Inner Harbor Channel were analyzed. The most practicable and feasible plan consists of deepening the existing Oakland Inner Harbor Channels, from -35 feet, mean lower low water (MLLWj, to -43 feet, MLLW, and widening the channel at a number of places to permit optimum utility of restricted channel dimensions. The estimated total cost of the selected plan is $27.1 million. Using a 7-7/8 percent discount rate and 50-year period of economic evaluation, the annual charges would be $2.2 million, and the annual project benefits are $34.9 million. Therefore, the benefit/cost ratio would be 15.9 to 1. It Is recommended that the foregoing plan of improvement be adopted as a modification of the existing Federal project for Oakla