Santa Cruz officials uncertain about future of storm-damaged wharf
The clean-up effort along the Santa Cruz coastline continued Friday, days after part of the Santa Cruz Wharf collapsed due to pounding high surf as city officials try to assess what their plans might be to rebuild the collapsed section.
The Santa Cruz Wharf collapse happened at around 12:45 p.m. Monday, city officials confirmed. The section of the wharf that collapsed included the Dolphin restaurant and one of the public bathrooms on the wharf.
The Santa Cruz Fire Department said two people needed assistance being pulled from the water by lifeguards and a third person was able to get out of the surf on their own without help. Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keely later confirmed the individuals who went into the water were city personnel who were assessing the integrity of the section of the pier that fell into the ocean.
The Santa Cruz Wharf has been closed to the public since the collapse, as have many of the area beaches due to the dangers presented by debris in the water.
Officials with the Santa Cruz Wharf posted on social media Friday morning that city workers would be active in the area by the river mouth of the San Lorenzo River as crews work to remove the wharf bathroom that washed ashore during Monday's storm. The public was being asked to obey the beach closure and stay clear of the area.
"This beach is closed for your safety," the post read. "The community's safety is our priority, and we need you to give city staff the space to clear this debris safely."
Local officials are facing some tough questions about the future of the structure that draws upwards of two million visitors each year. Santa Cruz Director of Parks and Recreation Tony Elliot outlined the factors that contributed to the collapse of the end of the pier during a press conference Friday.
"The wharf collapse really was the result of two things: a historic swell event – the largest swell that we've seen in 30 years – coupled with the fact that the end of the wharf had been damaged in the past year and more," said Elliot. "So part of the construction project that was underway, we were replacing around 70 pilings. We had replaced through the construction project probably 20 or 30 pilings already, but there was a lot more work to do to stabilize as we worked toward project completion in March."
Elliot also said artifacts including several memorial benches from the wharf had gone missing in the debris field and asked anyone who sees a bench or anything significant to call the Parks and Recreation Department at (831) 420-5270 or by email at recreationevents@santacruzca.gov.
He said the Parks and Recreation Department and Port of Santa Cruz were working to allow access to owners of the 20 businesses on the wharf so they could recover and secure property and perishable goods.
"During the holidays, in particular, this is a really important time, both for the businesses on the wharf and for our community as well. Traditions are built here," Elliot said.
When asked about plans to rebuild the 150-foot section that broke off in Monday's storm, the city's mayor acknowledged that remains an open question given the growing risks posed by climate change.
"We'd be irresponsible if we didn't ask the question what is the right thing to do here," said Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keely. "But to say we're simply going to put it back is, I think, frankly much more risky and irresponsible than having a very serious conversation."
Santa Cruz City Manager Matt Huffaker said a best-case scenario for reopening the wharf could be weeks, but that will depend on a structural assessment. He also agreed that replacing the portion of the wharf that was lost might not be a wise goal.
"I don't think we can speak with any confidence at this point whether rebuilding that section of the wharf is feasible or the appropriate thing to do in light of the increased frequency and power of these storm events that we're experiencing on our coast line," added Huffaker.
The end of the wharf had already been closed for repairs after sustaining damage during the potent bomb cyclone storm of January 2023 that caused extensive destruction in Santa Cruz, Capitola and other Northern California coastal towns.
Officials did not offer a firm time frame for when the wharf may be re-opened, but did say the city is working with the 20 or so businesses that have been impacted by the ongoing closure.
The powerful storm surge Monday caused more than a dozen boats moored in the Santa Cruz Harbor to sink and damaged hundreds of boats. Officials said the damage was comparable to what happened during the 2011 tsunami.
While much attention has been focused on the dramatic wharf collapse, Keely said the harbor is a priority.
"All of the elected officials who can help us access state and federal money are totally dialed into what's going on over at the harbor," said Keely. "They're going to sustain something probably on the order of $20 million worth of damage. I'll be surprised if that's what ours is."
Before the city can reopen the wharf, they also need to recover some heavy equipment that fell into the ocean including a large crane and skid steer. Officials are worried that the machinery could slam back into the wharf and cause additional damage if another large swell comes in.
