June 21, 2006

By COREY YOUNG
ARGUS-COURIER STAFF

The "Friends of the Petaluma River" group sends out a newsletter titled "Tidings: What's new on the Petaloo."

That slogan could describe the atmosphere inside the Petaluma Yacht Club on the morning of June 14, when a couple of dozen community leaders, business owners and river advocates gathered to update each other on river-oriented efforts in town.

Under the umbrella of the Petaluma River Authority -- a four-year-old group trying to establish a sort of one-stop shop for all river concerns -- they told of recent yachting excursions, plans for riverboat tours and what will be done about that new four-letter word among boaters: silt.

The dredge report

With mud from the winter and spring storms still sticking to the river bottom, most noticeably in the downtown Turning Basin, the city's public works department assured attendees that "Something's going to happen."

Department director Vince Marengo said the river seems to be "stuck in the middle" of a dispute between two federal agencies about who will dredge the muck later this year.

"It will be before the rainy season of this calendar year," Marengo said. The city is talking with its Congressional representatives, FEMA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to make sure that $1.29 million slated for dredging the river gets spent here as soon as possible.

Flood forecast

With almost six months gone by since Petaluma flooded, thoughts may be turning to what will happen this winter.

Water department engineer Dean Eckerson said city and county officials are planning a debris-removal effort for local creeks "so it doesnŐt end up in the river. We want to restore flood-carrying capacity to those channels."

But with federal money shifted away from completing the Payran flood control project this year, that pesky railroad bridge will remain in place for at least one more winter.

Removing the bridge, west of Lakeville Street, is the last step in completing the 20-year, $43 million project.

A new allocation of $3.5 million is included in a House of Representatives bill, but the bill must be passed by the Senate and then President Bush before Petaluma has the money in hand, Eckerson said. That will take some time.

"It would be a year from now, finishing up under the current schedule," he said.

New in River City

A renewed focus on enhancing and preserving the river is set to continue this summer and fall, with a number of redevelopment projects in the works.

First off, the promenade-style treatment of cobblestones, street lights and decorative paving along Water Street South will continue along the roadway's northern brother, starting soon with repairs to the crumbling floodwall.

The original wall was built in the 1930s and "the failure in the last 20 years has been almost up to the tracks" that run down the center of the street, said John FitzGerald, an engineer who co-chairs the River Authority.

In the same area, the city will extend the eastside-to-downtown river trail that currently stops at Edith Street. The new trail will run down each side of the river between Copeland and Washington streets and project construction is slated for the fall.

Also in the fall, or early 2007, the D Street drawbridge will be closed to boat traffic for about a month for a new paint job, surface treatment and machinery upgrades, the city said.

That brought a reminder from Jessica Vann Gardner, executive director of the Petaluma Visitors Program and River Authority co-chair, that Santa Claus will need to have the bridge up for his annual post-Thanksgiving trip to Petaluma aboard a Jerico Products tugboat.

Put on your sea legs

The drawbridge will also need to be operational when Dolphin Charters and American Safari Cruises return to the Turning Basin later this year.

Between the previous spring tours and those planned for fall, Dolphin Charters will host 600-700 passengers this year, said organizer Barbara Fitzgerald.

"It's been a very positive response," she said. Passengers on the double-decker boat are treated to views of wildlife, river industry and history during their three-hour excursion.

"When we point out Lakeville and 101, people know those roads -- but they don't know about the river in between," Fitzgerald said.

The D Street bridge is also quite an attraction for passengers, she said.

"They love the sirens and the bells and the bridge going up," she said.

American Safari, which runs a luxury yacht up the Napa and Petaluma rivers as part of a "wine country" visit, has seven-day tours planned throughout October and November.

The river's best friends

David Yearsley, former Petaluma Riverkeeper and now head friend of "Friends of the Petaluma River," says the third Friday of every month is time for "nautical mass."

Similar to the let's-all-bike approach of the group "Critical Mass," the nautical version is designed to get folks in human-powered watercraft out onto the Petaluma River.

The first event was held on Friday, followed by a family-friendly picnic and boating "mess-about" on Sunday.

"We want to improve access and knowledge of the river," Yearsley said.

Want to stow your row?

So do members of the Petaluma Small Craft Center Coalition, a group of kayak, canoe and scull enthusiasts looking to establish a place or places to get on and off the river, store small boats and provide amenities for boaters.

"Small boats -- human-powered and perhaps small sailboats -- need access," said coalition member Greg Sabourin. "We're looking to build boathouses. It's wonderful to go up and down the river, but it's also great to stop and get out, stretch your legs."

A recent survey by the group found that 65 respondents row, 89 paddle, some sail and one swims in the Petaluma River. The group is asking the city to consider a site for a "small craft center" as the redevelopment of the riverfront continues.

Lots of yachts

Tom Corbett, vice commodore of the Petaluma Yacht Club, said the numerous pleasure craft tied up in the Turning Basin over Memorial Day weekend represented "a good test of the silted-in conditions. The Turning Basin was packed."

The club and visitors center are working hard to attract more boats throughout the summer, officials said.

But to improve the experience for water-based tourists, more security along the docks there is needed, Corbett said.

Visiting boaters had beer taken out of coolers and overheard trespassers on the closed-off railroad trestle plotting to steal bikes as well, Corbett said. A small dinghy was also taken, he said.

"Friday night is the big night for hell-raising," Corbett said. "That's when we had the problems."

A suggestion was made to add lighting, security cameras and police bike patrols. Marengo said the city would explore what might be done to improve the area.

The River Authority has scheduled its next meeting for 8 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 27 at 8 a.m. at the Yacht Club.

(Contact Corey Young at cyoung@arguscourier.com)

RIVER RESOURCES