LONG BEACH >> The Army Corps of Engineers may know as early as today how much last week’s Hurricane Marie-driven surge damaged the rocky seawall used to protect the nation’s second busiest seaport.

A team for the federal agency has been inspecting the south-facing Middle Breakwater fronting the Port of Long Beach which bore the brunt of the surge’s 15-foot waves, said spokesman Greg Fuderer.

How long it takes to repair the breakwater will depend on how costly it will be and whether there are funds available to fix it, he said.

This is not to be confused with the two other Army Corps-owned breakwaters that parallel San Pedro and Long Beach, both of which suffered no damage, Fuderer said.

The federal agency is currently examining the feasibility of getting rid of or reconfiguring the Long Beach barrier. Proponents of taking it down or reconfiguring it say the breakwater kills natural wave action and contributes to water pollution.

Meanwhile, port officials — who are conducting their own assessment of damage — are urging the federal agency to repair the middle breakwater, which was gouged by the surge.

Massive debris from the Navy Mole breakwater blanketed a roadway and damaged Nimitz Road near Sea Launch. Employees for the satellite-launch site had to be taken through Total Terminals International to get to work.

The surge was so powerful that two cargo terminals at the Port of Long Beach — TTI and Crescent Terminal — postponed vessel operations one day as a safety precaution because it was too dangerous for longshore workers to load and unload goods, which included Mercedes-Benz cars and wind towers.

Both terminals were fully operational the following day and no one was injured.

The surge also loosened two barges from their anchors and they had to be towed to berths.

Contact Karen Robes Meeks at 562-714-2088.