Every few years, the owners of the Encina Power Station have to dredge the Agua Hedionda lagoons outer basin to keep sand from blocking the flow of ocean water needed to cool the plants steam generators.

CARLSBAD Carlsbad will have more sand on its beaches next summer thanks to a dredging project set to begin next month at the Agua Hedionda Lagoon.

Every few years, the owners of the Encina Power Station have to dredge the lagoons outer basin to keep sand from blocking the flow of ocean water needed to cool the plants steam generators.

The project has several other benefits as well, said David Knox, a spokesman for plant owner NRG Energy Inc.

For instance, it helps shore up Carlsbad beaches, which if not replenished become narrower and covered with rocks.

The dredging puts sand back on the beach so that beachgoers have a nice, sandy spot to place their towels, said Kasia Trojanowska, Carlsbads parks planner.

About 500,000 cubic yards of sand will be pulled from the bottom of the lagoon. About half that sand will go to a stretch of the beach between the intake and outlet jetties just outside the lagoon. The remaining sand will be split between the beach at Tamarack and Oak avenues and the shoreline just south of the lagoon.

In addition to cooling the plant, the dredging is key to maintaining the tidal circulation within the lagoon, which is important for the recreational, commercial and biological uses of the lagoon, Knox said.

Though the outcome is a boon for visitors, the process isnt always pleasant.

During the months-long project, a dredge barge similar to a tug boat sucks sand from the bottom of the lagoon like a large vacuum cleaner. The sand, which looks like black ooze, is then carried to the beach through large, 20-inch-diameter black pipes.

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Agua Hedionda Lagoon dredging starts soon