ASTORIA, Ore. — The Port of Astoria is piecing together a plan to reopen the ailing East Mooring Basin to pedestrians in the coming year and dredge the shallowing West Mooring Basin over the next three years.
The port contracted with the Port of Ilwaco last year to dredge the West Mooring Basin, where silting has left many of the slips high and dry during low tides. But Ilwaco’s dredge only removed about half of the expected sediment and opened less than a third of the intended slips, requiring private mediation between the two ports.
The port budgeted $150,000 this year to dredge the West Mooring Basin and went out to bid for a private contractor to finish the entire basin, receiving three proposals.
