A 35-Foot Polluting Heap Is Hauled Out Of The River

PETALUMA, CA — The Bay Area, with its mild weather and abundant waterways, is home to some of the oldest yachts in the nation and an abundance of abandoned ones.

Last week, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office removed one of them from the Petaluma River.

The Marine Unit hauled out a 35-foot inoperable motorboat, helping reduce potential hazards to navigation and the environment.

The removal was made possible through the California Department of Boating and Waterways’ Surrendered and Abandoned Vessel Exchange (SAVE) program, which provides grant funding to local agencies to tackled the problem of abandoned or derelict vessels. Local agencies use the grants to cover the costs of removing boats that pose risks to waterways, ensuring rivers and channels remain safe, clear, and navigable for the public.

Marine debris can range greatly in size, from tiny plastic fragments invisible to the human eye to large abandoned and derelict vessels. These vessels litter ports, waterways, and estuaries across the country and can create significant environmental, navigational, and safety concerns.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, vessels may become abandoned or derelict for a variety of reasons. Owners may neglect or abandon boats they can no longer afford to maintain, while others may break loose from anchors or moorings, drift away, or be stolen. Severe weather events such as hurricanes or flooding can also result in large numbers of vessels becoming abandoned. Under these conditions, boats may sink at moorings, become submerged in tidal areas, or strand on shorelines, reefs, or marshes.

Boat owners can surrender an unwanted vessel to authorities.