Petaluma River Basin Silted In
California’s unprecedented wet winter has claimed another victim: the Petaluma River. This year’s torrential rains have flooded the popular waterway with "kind of like, an island" of silt, according to ABC 7 News.
Petaluma Yacht Club — which is currently yacht-less because of the extreme conditions — canceled its annual Memorial Day event, which typically draws some 80 boats from around the Bay Area.
The Petaluma River has not been dredged since 2003 because of federal funding issues, according to Petaluma360.com, which went on to say that the Army Corps of Engineers is waiting for Congress to approve between $6.5 and $9 million for long-overdue maintenance.
The Corps "is authorized to dredge the 14 mile river — actually a tidal slough leading to San Pablo Bay — every four years," Petaluma360 said.