The City of Oakland Continues To Fail the Oakland Estuary
In September, we reported good news for the Oakland Estuary when the city of Oakland was awarded $3.16 million for Estuary cleanup. At the time, the Oakland Police Department (OPD) had been clearing the Estuary of boats and debris, making progress on upgrading the Estuary’s condition for the enjoyment of all Oakland and Bay Area residents. Unfortunately, the city manager and Oakland officials have continued failing the public by cutting funding to maintain the progress already made. The result is the rapid expansion of new anchor-outs appearing on the Estuary with a corresponding increase in crime.
Brock de Lappe wrote us saying, “The City of Oakland Ordinance #13728 prohibiting anchoring in the Oakland Estuary is not being enforced. As a result, there are a growing number of illegal anchor-outs along the Oakland side of the Estuary. Many of these are not properly registered, and when they break loose, go aground or sink, they are abandoned and become a public cleanup expense. The City of Oakland has recently received a $150,000 annual grant from the California Division of Boating and Waterways SAVE grant program and a three-year $3.16 million grant from NOAA’s Marine Debris Removal program.”
“Despite this impending financial support, there is presently a severe need for Oakland Police Department marine patrols on the Estuary. Unfortunately, the OPD lacks available personnel, and even fuel expenses, to permit on-the-water patrols.”
“As a result, the allowed presence of even one illegal boat remains an open invitation for others to join. A problem that could have been stopped at its inception can rapidly grow to become a much more challenging and expensive condition, and one that has serious public safety issues that should not be ignored. There is also a criminal element among the anchor-out population that has been responsible for the theft of boats and equipment from marinas and boats along the Estuary. The notoriety of the Oakland Estuary ‘Piracy Problem’ has resulted in both national and international press coverage. Most recently two Achilles RIBs were stolen from the Encinal Yacht Club in Alameda. Given the wide variety of water sports enjoyed on the Estuary, it is imperative that this regional public resource be properly protected and preserved.”
Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, who took office in 2022, was recalled in the November 5 elections. The San Jose Mercury News reported that the recall passed by a nearly two-to-one margin. Naturally this leaves the leadership of the city in limbo with an uncertain path to restoring faith in government, fiscal solvency, and solving the continuing crime problems. Oakland’s issues are much bigger than the Estuary, but the Estuary is one of the crown jewels of the city and could be a source of pride and rejuvenation for the city.
Brock also sent reports he’d received from others who relayed that dinghies have been stolen from adjacent Alameda yacht clubs, the Oakland Rowing Club faces navigational hazards during their early morning and evening rowing practices, and another boat had recently washed up onto the rocks. Having managed prior Estuary cleanups, Brock knows that the cost of the cleanup grows rapidly as the community of anchor-outs and derelict boats expands.
The Oakland/Alameda Estuary continues to be ignored. Outdated policies, underfunding, Jurisdictional boundaries, too many competing priorities, and unresponsiveness of agencies that should help (but don’t) create a lawless environment. Oakland and Alameda Marine Patrols are severely understaffed and don’t have funding, BCDC is eerily silent when it comes to responding to requests for assistance or complaints, state environmental agencies have (to my knowledge) never stepped a foot outside of their office to observe the damage being done. In the meantime, there is millions of dollars available for feasibility studies to build billion dollar bike bridges to accommodate the 30ish bicyclists that may occasionally decide to ride their bike over. Over 30% of the marina slips in the Bay Area are in Alameda, the majority of those are on the Estuary. By comparison, Alameda has about 3% of the population in the Bay Area, and Oakland about 14%. Most of the boaters in the area are transient (coming from outside the area to enjoy time on their boat). Each slip holder pays property tax to the County of Alameda; the yacht clubs provide service to the local community, with fund raising and helping develop young sailors. We spend money at local businesses, and bring along friends. The constant crime, lack of ability to enforce it, and deterioration of the shoreline is discouraging and drives people away. I wonder what would happen should the boaters with slips in Alameda/Oakland vote with their keels and bail on Alameda County? They probably wouldn’t even see it coming, because the area is ignored.
Oakland and Encinal Yacht Clubs have raised money for the Alameda County Community Food Bank and Oakland Fire Department Random Acts of Kindness. See story here: https://www.latitude38.com/lectronic/2024/11/27/#lighted-yachts-winter-open-house
City of Oakland … no road maintenance, with trash and graffiti everywhere. Why would
city employees and elected representatives do anything differently for the estuary?
So maybe we should ask exactly where the $3 million grant money has gone. Another question would be why the USCG is notably absent as part of enforcement efforts since the Estuary is a commercial & military navigable waterway. If I recall correctly, there are proximity restrictions regarding vessels, both commercial & military, as well as military installations & critical infrastructure, i.e. bridges.