By ABBy HAIGHT
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER
CORVALLIS, Ore. -- An Oregon coastal town hopes to put its new City Hall on stilts and become the first U.S. city to raise a municipal building to withstand the major earthquake and tsunami that scientists say are coming sooner rather than later.
City officials and emergency workers hope the building in Cannon Beach will also raise a sense of urgency in the Pacific Northwest about the jeopardy coastal residents and visitors face.
Geological findings in recent years suggest there's a one-in-three chance that in the next half century a mega-earthquake will tear the seafloor apart off the Oregon Coast.
Huge waves would surge onto coastal communities in as little as 15 minutes. There isn't a coastwide estimate of potential lives lost and damage, but about 100,000 Oregonians live in tsunami inundation zones. Many more visit the coast.
The $4 million building the city proposes in Cannon Beach would have room for as many as 1,500 people, and could save lives.
The 2004 Sumatra tsunami, which killed almost 230,000 people, galvanized federal emergency planners and coastal communities. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration sent engineers to learn what buildings withstood the earthquake - measured at magnitude 9.1 to 9.3 - and cataclysmic waves.
They found that buildings on stilts, without impediments that increased the stress of the on-rushing water, often survived, said Jenifer Rhoades, tsunami program manager for the National Weather Service. The Cannon Beach structure would be the first "vertical evacuation site" built in the United States, she said.
Japan has built several of the buildings but they've never been tested.
The permanent population of Cannon Beach is about 1,700, but its beaches and art galleries draw an estimated 750,000 visitors annually.
"Imagine a July 4 weekend with an additional 200,000 people at the coast," said James Roddey of Oregon's geology agency. "That's a lot of folks who don't know what to do if the ground starts shaking."
The Feb. 27 earthquake and tsunami in Chile, which killed about 525 people, gave officials in Cannon Beach and the Pacific Northwest a chill. The two regions are similar geologically and have similar coastal development.
"Tidal waves have always been on our tongue," said Sam Steidel, a gallery owner and City Council member in Cannon Beach. "But Chile really showed what would happen to communities like Cannon Beach."
Steidel was 6 years old in 1964 when the last big tsunami swept the Pacific Northwest coastline, claiming 17 lives in Oregon and California and causing $27 million in damage.
He remembers the scene as moonlit and magical, the foam of the waves lingering on the highway through Cannon Beach.
"I thought it had snowed," Steidel said.
A 8.6-magnitude earthquake in Prince William Sound, Alaska, set off the tsunami, which washed out a main bridge in Cannon Beach and caused severe flooding. Four campers drowned in Newport, 120 miles to the south.
Modern warning systems now give coastal residents time to reach safety from distant earthquakes. It's the prospect of quakes nearby that rattle the nerves of emergency managers.
About 75 miles off the Pacific Northwest coast, tectonic plates snagging and sliding over one another create the Cascadia Subduction Zone. It has a history of big earthquakes, some topping 9.0 in magnitude, in the past 10,000 years, said Chris Goldfinger, a marine geologist at Oregon State University.
Cascadia last ruptured in a great earthquake 300 years ago. It's due for another, Goldfinger said.
Emergency officials have stepped up tsunami awareness campaigns, and towns like Cannon Beach are installing signs about tsunamis, designating evacuation routes and testing sirens. Residents are being urged to hack through brambles to make paths to higher ground.
"We need things like vegetation management, so people can get to higher ground without having to fight blackberry bushes. We need footbridges across wet areas," said Pat Corcoran whose job as an Oregon State extension worker is to travel the Oregon coast urging beachfront communities to prepare for the "when," not "if."
Cannon Beach is working with Oregon State to design its proposed 9,800-square-foot City Hall. Recently at a university lab in Corvallis, city leaders and representatives of several other coastal communities watched simulated waves crash against a model of the city hall building.
Washington and Oregon state experts say it could become a model for other communities. Local officials say it will be a center for tsunami education as well as refuge when the wave comes.
"We can't keep the tsunamis from happening," said Clatsop County Commissioner Robert Mushen. "But we can tell you where to go. We can tell you what to do. We can keep you safe."
Showing posts with label coastal communities. Show all posts
Showing posts with label coastal communities. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Thursday, May 20, 2010
California, Oregon, and Washington Take Action Toward Healthy Oceans, Coasts, and Coastal Communities,
OF THE GOVERNORS
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER THEODORE R. KULONGOSKI CHRISTINE O. GREGOIRE
CALIFORNIA OREGON WASHINGTON
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 20, 2010
Media Contacts:
Jillian Schoene, Oregon, 503-378-5040
Jeff Macedo, California, 916-445-4571
Karina Shagren, Washington, 360-902-4122
West Coast Governors’ Agreement on Ocean Health releases implementation plans
Salem – The Governors of California, Oregon, and Washington today released eight issue-specific work plans to improve and sustain the health of the three states’ shared coastal and ocean resources and the communities that depend on them. With $500,000 in new funding from the federal government, projects funded by existing federal and state investments will be able to continue and the three states will begin to look at which projects to start next.
“These action plans represent the balanced, collective approach we need to ensure our ocean continues to be sustainably managed for coastal communities and marine life,” Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski said. “The best way to protect the interests of coastal communities is to preserve our existing ocean resources and identify new economic development opportunities, such as wave energy. We can tap our ocean as a new source of green power in a way that protects the traditional uses of our ocean.”
In 2006 Governors Schwarzenegger, Kulongoski, and Gregoire committed to taking action to protect the states’ shared coastal and ocean resources. In July 2008, the three Governors released a West Coast Governors’ Agreement on Ocean Health (WCGA) Action Plan that identified common ocean and coastal management priorities. The regional agreement was the first of its kind on the West Coast and also aligns well with federal planning efforts currently under way under the Obama Administration’s Ocean Policy Task Force established in 2009.
The three Governors are now releasing final implementation plans for eight issue areas identified by the WCGA two years ago: 1. Climate Change, 2. Polluted Runoff, 3. Marine Debris, 4. Spartina Eradication, 5. Renewable Ocean Energy, 6. Ocean Awareness and Literacy, 7. Seafloor Mapping, and 8. Sediment Management. The issue areas represent the need to clean up the ocean, protect it from future damage and the importance of balancing new uses of the ocean with existing practices such as fishing and habitat protection.
“We are moving from planning to action with the release of these implementation plans,” said California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. “Together we made a commitment to address climate change, combat ocean garbage, reduce water pollution, protect our marine habitats, and to unlock the mysteries of our offshore waters by mapping the seafloor off all three states. Today we are taking a bold new step in fulfilling that commitment.”
The implementation plans were developed by groups know as Action Coordination Teams (ACTs), comprised of federal, state, local, tribal and stakeholder representatives on the West Coast. Members of these tri-state teams are experts in their fields and have firsthand experience addressing these challenges. Their final plans reflect the numerous comments received from the public when the implementation plans were released in draft form.
“An enormous amount of work was put into these work plans to benefit ocean and coastal health and our working communities,” Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire said. “This shows the strongest commitment on the part of our citizens and experts. We owe them our deepest gratitude and thanks. Now we must turn our full attention to getting plans transformed into real, on-the-ground work.”
These eight comprehensive plans identify and prioritize on-the-ground projects to ensure successful long-term coordination and implementation of regional priorities identified in the Action Plan. Examples of actions identified within these plans and active projects in Oregon include:
Completing a high resolution map of the seafloor off of California, Oregon, and Washington, by 2020. This crucial information will help communities prepare for tsunami waves, inform the siting of ocean uses such as wave energy projects, and inform fisheries management. Governor Kulongoski secured federal and state funds to map Oregon’s seafloor. This work is ongoing and at the close of this summer, approximately 44 percent of the Oregon Territorial Sea will have been mapped. Just 5 percent was mapped as of early 2009.
Oregon is leading the effort in evaluating the potential for renewable ocean energy projects and assembling data and information to help identify and address potential environmental and socioeconomic impacts of such development. The state’s work, in collaboration with the fishing community, scientists and the private sector, will ensure that renewable energy development occurs in areas least likely to harm fisheries, sensitive marine habitats, or local coastal communities.
Oregon applied for and received federal funds to reduce marine debris. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife will employ commercial fishermen to remove 180 metric tons of derelict Dungeness crab pots and other fishing debris that is dangerous to fishing boats and marine life. The project expects to create or maintain 48 jobs.
To read the full text of the eight final work plans or to learn more about the WCGA, please visit www.westcoastoceans.gov. Two additional WCGA draft work plans on Sustainable Communities and Integrated Ecosystem Assessments are soon to be released for public comment.
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER THEODORE R. KULONGOSKI CHRISTINE O. GREGOIRE
CALIFORNIA OREGON WASHINGTON
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 20, 2010
Media Contacts:
Jillian Schoene, Oregon, 503-378-5040
Jeff Macedo, California, 916-445-4571
Karina Shagren, Washington, 360-902-4122
West Coast Governors’ Agreement on Ocean Health releases implementation plans
Salem – The Governors of California, Oregon, and Washington today released eight issue-specific work plans to improve and sustain the health of the three states’ shared coastal and ocean resources and the communities that depend on them. With $500,000 in new funding from the federal government, projects funded by existing federal and state investments will be able to continue and the three states will begin to look at which projects to start next.
“These action plans represent the balanced, collective approach we need to ensure our ocean continues to be sustainably managed for coastal communities and marine life,” Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski said. “The best way to protect the interests of coastal communities is to preserve our existing ocean resources and identify new economic development opportunities, such as wave energy. We can tap our ocean as a new source of green power in a way that protects the traditional uses of our ocean.”
In 2006 Governors Schwarzenegger, Kulongoski, and Gregoire committed to taking action to protect the states’ shared coastal and ocean resources. In July 2008, the three Governors released a West Coast Governors’ Agreement on Ocean Health (WCGA) Action Plan that identified common ocean and coastal management priorities. The regional agreement was the first of its kind on the West Coast and also aligns well with federal planning efforts currently under way under the Obama Administration’s Ocean Policy Task Force established in 2009.
The three Governors are now releasing final implementation plans for eight issue areas identified by the WCGA two years ago: 1. Climate Change, 2. Polluted Runoff, 3. Marine Debris, 4. Spartina Eradication, 5. Renewable Ocean Energy, 6. Ocean Awareness and Literacy, 7. Seafloor Mapping, and 8. Sediment Management. The issue areas represent the need to clean up the ocean, protect it from future damage and the importance of balancing new uses of the ocean with existing practices such as fishing and habitat protection.
“We are moving from planning to action with the release of these implementation plans,” said California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. “Together we made a commitment to address climate change, combat ocean garbage, reduce water pollution, protect our marine habitats, and to unlock the mysteries of our offshore waters by mapping the seafloor off all three states. Today we are taking a bold new step in fulfilling that commitment.”
The implementation plans were developed by groups know as Action Coordination Teams (ACTs), comprised of federal, state, local, tribal and stakeholder representatives on the West Coast. Members of these tri-state teams are experts in their fields and have firsthand experience addressing these challenges. Their final plans reflect the numerous comments received from the public when the implementation plans were released in draft form.
“An enormous amount of work was put into these work plans to benefit ocean and coastal health and our working communities,” Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire said. “This shows the strongest commitment on the part of our citizens and experts. We owe them our deepest gratitude and thanks. Now we must turn our full attention to getting plans transformed into real, on-the-ground work.”
These eight comprehensive plans identify and prioritize on-the-ground projects to ensure successful long-term coordination and implementation of regional priorities identified in the Action Plan. Examples of actions identified within these plans and active projects in Oregon include:
Completing a high resolution map of the seafloor off of California, Oregon, and Washington, by 2020. This crucial information will help communities prepare for tsunami waves, inform the siting of ocean uses such as wave energy projects, and inform fisheries management. Governor Kulongoski secured federal and state funds to map Oregon’s seafloor. This work is ongoing and at the close of this summer, approximately 44 percent of the Oregon Territorial Sea will have been mapped. Just 5 percent was mapped as of early 2009.
Oregon is leading the effort in evaluating the potential for renewable ocean energy projects and assembling data and information to help identify and address potential environmental and socioeconomic impacts of such development. The state’s work, in collaboration with the fishing community, scientists and the private sector, will ensure that renewable energy development occurs in areas least likely to harm fisheries, sensitive marine habitats, or local coastal communities.
Oregon applied for and received federal funds to reduce marine debris. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife will employ commercial fishermen to remove 180 metric tons of derelict Dungeness crab pots and other fishing debris that is dangerous to fishing boats and marine life. The project expects to create or maintain 48 jobs.
To read the full text of the eight final work plans or to learn more about the WCGA, please visit www.westcoastoceans.gov. Two additional WCGA draft work plans on Sustainable Communities and Integrated Ecosystem Assessments are soon to be released for public comment.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Oregon Department of GeologY AND Mineral Industries
Dr. Vicki S. McConnell, State Geologist
February 12, 2010
Read the complete news release in the attached PDF or go online at: http://www.oregongeology.org/
New multi-year tsunami mapping and outreach program comes to the Oregon Coast
Several coastal communities selected to become TsunamiReady, TsunamiPrepared over the next year
Portland, Oregon: The Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI), in partnership with Oregon Emergency Management and the National Weather Service, are enhancing and expanding tsunami preparedness for Oregon coastal communities with a new program called TsunamiReady, TsunamiPrepared.
Funded by a multi-year, multi-million dollar grant from the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program overseen by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), TsunamiReady, TsunamiPrepared will accelerate the remapping of the Oregon coast for tsunami inundation using state of the art computer modeling and laser based terrain mapping (lidar). The outcome will be the creation of new, more accurate tsunami evacuation maps for the entire 362 mile length of the Oregon coast.
The enhanced tsunami mapping and outreach program, TsunamiReady, TsunamiPrepared, will also build on the hard work coastal communities have already accomplished, or assist in work they are ready to begin, by supporting a grass roots program of awareness and preparedness.
TsunamiReady, TsunamiPrepared will also provide much needed resources to help these communities create or maintain a sustained effort of education and preparation in anticipation of the next, inevitable tsunami to strike the Oregon coast.
Communities chosen for the first year of accelerated funding of the TsunamiReady, TsunamiPrepared program include Rockaway Beach, Manzanita, Nehalem, and Wheeler on the north coast, Yachats, Waldport and Seal Rock on the central coast and Bandon on the south coast. Adjacent state parks to these communities will also participate in the program, with details of individual community efforts being finalized.
Support for all coastal towns interested in accelerating their earthquake and tsunami programs is also available in many forms, from an on-line clearing house of resources and emergency prep ideas, to workshops, printed materials, and media resources.
Read the complete news release in the attached PDF or go online at: http://www.oregongeology.org/
James RoddeyEarth Sciences Information OfficerOregon Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries800 NE Oregon Street, Suite 965, Portland, OR 97232(971) 673-1543 (direct line) / (503) 807-8343 (cell)mailto:james.roddey@dogami.state.or.us
http://www.oregongeology.org
February 12, 2010
Read the complete news release in the attached PDF or go online at: http://www.oregongeology.org/
New multi-year tsunami mapping and outreach program comes to the Oregon Coast
Several coastal communities selected to become TsunamiReady, TsunamiPrepared over the next year
Portland, Oregon: The Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI), in partnership with Oregon Emergency Management and the National Weather Service, are enhancing and expanding tsunami preparedness for Oregon coastal communities with a new program called TsunamiReady, TsunamiPrepared.
Funded by a multi-year, multi-million dollar grant from the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program overseen by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), TsunamiReady, TsunamiPrepared will accelerate the remapping of the Oregon coast for tsunami inundation using state of the art computer modeling and laser based terrain mapping (lidar). The outcome will be the creation of new, more accurate tsunami evacuation maps for the entire 362 mile length of the Oregon coast.
The enhanced tsunami mapping and outreach program, TsunamiReady, TsunamiPrepared, will also build on the hard work coastal communities have already accomplished, or assist in work they are ready to begin, by supporting a grass roots program of awareness and preparedness.
TsunamiReady, TsunamiPrepared will also provide much needed resources to help these communities create or maintain a sustained effort of education and preparation in anticipation of the next, inevitable tsunami to strike the Oregon coast.
Communities chosen for the first year of accelerated funding of the TsunamiReady, TsunamiPrepared program include Rockaway Beach, Manzanita, Nehalem, and Wheeler on the north coast, Yachats, Waldport and Seal Rock on the central coast and Bandon on the south coast. Adjacent state parks to these communities will also participate in the program, with details of individual community efforts being finalized.
Support for all coastal towns interested in accelerating their earthquake and tsunami programs is also available in many forms, from an on-line clearing house of resources and emergency prep ideas, to workshops, printed materials, and media resources.
Read the complete news release in the attached PDF or go online at: http://www.oregongeology.org/
James RoddeyEarth Sciences Information OfficerOregon Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries800 NE Oregon Street, Suite 965, Portland, OR 97232(971) 673-1543 (direct line) / (503) 807-8343 (cell)mailto:james.roddey@dogami.state.or.us
http://www.oregongeology.org
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