Santa Barbara beachgoers have recently taken note of a new, 270-foot barge along the coastline.
Named Ocean Protector, the giant vessel is taking up temporary residence near Stearns Wharf to complete necessary repairs for Santa Barbara’s desalination plant. Over four weeks, it will reinforce the intake pumps that deliver water from the ocean to the plant onshore.
According to the City of Santa Barbara, crews will be placing 450 tons of protective rock around the pump platforms, “making them more resilient to strong currents caused by storms and tidal changes.” The design is expected to last 50 years and will cost the city a little more than $5 million…