Port authorities continue to clean up debris and marine equipment after a storm surge ripped through the Santa Cruz Harbor on Dec. 23, causing an estimated $26 million in damages. Area businesses have suffered financial losses from emergency closures, and as the Dungeness crab season prepares to open, local fishers will have to navigate a harbor mouth compromised with sediment pushed in by the storm.
Santa Cruz wharf collapse and harbor damage 2024
Coverage of the Dec. 23, 2024, collapse of the end of the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf and swell damage to the Santa Cruz Harbor, and the aftermath.
Posted inLatest News
Santa Cruz Wharf collapse raises questions about lawsuits, maintenance and the Coastal Commission
A number of issues have risen from last week’s partial collapse of the Santa Cruz Wharf, including questions regarding whether a lawsuit against the city’s Wharf Master Plan contributed to the collapse, deferred maintenance on the structure and California Coastal Commission rules that restrict construction to the winter months.
Posted inEnvironment
Storm surge causes $20 million in damages to Santa Cruz Harbor, leaving boat residents in limbo
The Santa Cruz Harbor is still assessing damages that have so far amounted to $20 million after Monday’s storm surge. Port District Director Holland MacLaurie said she doesn’t have a timeline for when repairs will be completed.
Posted inLatest News
Santa Cruz Wharf likely closed for weeks as city weighs whether to rebuild
The Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf likely faces weeks of closure after storm damage destroyed a 150-foot section. Officials are exploring aid for affected businesses and workers and debating whether to rebuild the section that collapsed Monday.
Posted inLatest News
Santa Cruz Wharf businesses face many uncertainties, concerns for future
Business owners and employees who work on the Santa Cruz Wharf don’t yet know when they’ll be able to get back on the job after the partial collapse of the wharf on Monday. City officials say they’re working around the clock to assess damage but it’s unclear when they’ll know when the wharf can reopen.
Posted inLatest News
Santa Cruz Wharf to remain closed indefinitely, raising new questions about its future
Santa Cruz city officials said Tuesday that there is no estimated reopening date for the wharf, which was undergoing repairs when a section collapsed Monday, sending three workers into the ocean. The incident has forced the city to confront difficult questions about rebuilding aging infrastructure in an era of climate change, Mayor Fred Keeley said.
Posted inLatest News
Wharf collapse takes more than wood and steel as a mother’s memorial bench is swept into the ocean
From her home near Sacramento, Ruby Shields was frantically trying to recover her mother’s memorial bench, part of the end of the Santa Cruz Wharf that collapsed on Monday. On Tuesday, two Santa Cruzans found the nameplate on Seabright State Beach.
Posted inLatest News
Portion of Santa Cruz Wharf collapses, harbor damaged and parts of Capitola Village flooded amid huge swells
A section of the Santa Cruz Wharf collapsed Monday, plunging three construction workers into 25-foot swells. At least nine people were rescued countywide as authorities evacuated parts of Capitola Village and Rio Del Mar for flooding and closed several beaches because of dangerous conditions.