Policy · Tárcoles, Garabito, Puntarenas

SINAC Finds Dock and Walkway in Río Tárcoles Protected Zone

On Oct. 2, 2026, SINAC inspectors found a 148-meter walkway, a 15-meter dock and a floating boarding deck along the Río Tárcoles, partly inside legally protected areas and the riverbed, where mangroves may be affected. The visit came after a June complaint and a Constitutional Court appeal over the delay; the case is still under investigation and no one has been charged.

By Pura-Verde.com Editors · Published October 30, 2026
Original report: The Tico Times: Costa Rica Authorities Find Dock Inside Protected Río Tárcoles Area (2026-10-04)

Costa Rica's conservation agency says it found a walkway, a dock and a floating boat deck reaching into protected land along the Río Tárcoles, the crocodile-filled river that most travelers cross on the way to the central Pacific beaches. Inspectors from the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC) visited the site on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, as The Tico Times reported two days later. The case is still open, and no one has been charged.

What inspectors found on the river

According to SINAC, as reported by The Tico Times and Delfino.cr, the site includes:

• A walkway about 148 meters (486 feet) long leading toward the river
• A 15-meter dock
• A floating deck used to board boats
• A parking area
• Two small buildings used for storage and bathrooms

SINAC said part of this sits inside legally protected areas and in the river channel itself, and that it could be harming mangrove vegetation. The agency was careful to add that the extent of any environmental damage hasn't been established yet.

The inspection was logged as report No. 2570, with a separate technical report. SINAC's Orotina office said it would refer the findings to the relevant judicial and administrative authorities. Reports haven't identified who owns or operates the structures, and SINAC hasn't said whether it will seek removal, suspend operations or pursue criminal charges.

How a June complaint ended up at the Constitutional Court

The case began on June 9, when environmental attorney Walter Brenes Soto filed a complaint alleging that docks and floating platforms were operating along the Tárcoles without permits.

On June 25, officials from the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MOPT) and the Municipality of Garabito searched about a kilometer of riverbank. They didn't find the dock described in the complaint, though they did find and seal a different dock at Playa Azul. Checking Costa Rica's national territorial information system, municipal officials found that the approximate spot in the complaint falls within a wetland and a biological corridor on official maps. They couldn't reach it to confirm anything on the ground. MOPT's port and coastal engineering office also said it had never approved a dock on the Río Tárcoles and had no application pending for one.

With no follow-up inspection by September, Brenes filed an appeal with the Constitutional Chamber, known as the Sala IV, on Sept. 11. On Sept. 28, the court agreed to hear it and ordered SINAC's executive director and the head of the Central Pacific Conservation Area (ACOPAC) to report what they'd done. Delfino.cr reported the court gave them three business days. SINAC inspected the site four days later.

In its reply, SINAC acknowledged the delay and blamed difficult access: inspectors needed a boat to reach the area. It said the complaint remained active.

Why the riverbank is protected

Costa Rican law sets aside protection strips along rivers, and mangroves and wetlands carry their own legal protection. The lower Tárcoles is a mix of river channel, mangrove and wetland where the river meets the Gulf of Nicoya, which is part of why it supports such a large population of American crocodiles and so many waterbirds. Mangroves also trap sediment, shelter young fish and buffer the coast, as our guide to marine conservation in Costa Rica explains.

Those same features make the river a busy tourism spot. Boat tours to see crocodiles leave from several points along the lower river, and the bridge on the coastal highway is one of the country's best-known roadside wildlife stops. The Tico Times noted that earlier in 2026, prosecutors opened a separate investigation into a crocodile-viewing platform near the bridge over allegations that construction entered a protected river area; the developer disputes that it lacked permits. That case hasn't been resolved either.

What happens next

The next steps belong to SINAC and the authorities it refers the case to. They'll need to establish who built the structures, whether any permits exist, and how much mangrove, if any, was damaged. The Constitutional Court appeal could also produce a ruling on the agency's four-month delay.

The case echoes others on Pura Green News this year where community complaints pushed agencies to act, including the clearing beside Montezuma waterfall and the effort to map and restore the Río Lagarto mangrove in Sámara.

If you're taking a Tárcoles boat tour

Nothing in SINAC's findings involves a closure of the river or of tour operations generally. If you book a crocodile tour, it's reasonable to ask the operator whether it holds municipal and environmental permits, to choose boats that keep their distance from the animals, and to skip any tour that feeds crocodiles. For other protected wetlands and parks along the coast, see our national parks map.

Frequently asked questions

What did SINAC find on the Río Tárcoles?

On Oct. 2, 2026, inspectors found a 148-meter walkway, a 15-meter dock, a floating boarding deck, a parking area and two small buildings. SINAC said part of it lies in protected areas and the riverbed and could affect mangroves.

Has anyone been charged over the Tárcoles dock?

No. As of late October 2026, SINAC said it would refer the findings to judicial and administrative authorities, and the owner or operator hadn't been publicly identified.

Why did the Sala IV get involved?

The complainant, attorney Walter Brenes Soto, appealed to the Constitutional Chamber on Sept. 11 over the lack of follow-up. On Sept. 28 the court ordered SINAC officials to report on their actions, and the inspection followed on Oct. 2.

Are Tárcoles crocodile tours still running?

SINAC's findings didn't announce any general closure of the river or of tours. Check with your operator before you go.

Sources and original reporting

1. The Tico Times: Costa Rica Authorities Find Dock Inside Protected Río Tárcoles Area (2026-10-04)
2. Delfino.cr: SINAC detecta muelle e infraestructura en área de protección del río Tárcoles y anuncia acciones legales (2026-10-03)
3. El Observador: Tras denuncia de abogado, Sinac halla muelle y pasarela en áreas de protección del río Tárcoles (2026-10-07)
4. Sala Constitucional, Corte Suprema de Justicia
5. SNIT geoportal

We wrote this story from the published reports and official sources above. We didn't interview the people named unless the story says so.