Pacific Ocean threatens to gobble up Oregon beach towns

January 31, 2010, 4:00PMJaime Francis/The Oregonian

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2010/01/pacific_ocean_threatening_to_g.html

Newskowin beach at sunset.For more than a decade, the village of Neskowin has watched the ocean chew away at its shoreline, gobbling up as much as half a football field of beach in places. Homes have been threatened, riprap has failed and some ground-level condos are not habitable during the stormier months. Now, the locals have formed a committee aimed at saving their oceanfront way of life. And not a moment too soon, say scientists, who warn that the Pacific is trying to work its way right into the heart of town.

"The future is pretty bleak for Neskowin," said Jonathan Allan, coastal geomorphologist with the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries. "What we've seen is that 10 to 15 years ago, Neskowin had a very broad beach, a very well-developed fore dune that provided protection to homes built there.

"Today, virtually the entire length of Neskowin (which is about 20 feet above sea level) is protected by riprap," he said, referring to the stacks of boulders used to protect shorelines. "The entire shoreline has been hardened and if you actually look at the history of that shoreline-hardening process, the bulk of it has gone in since 1999."

The bright side is that the work Neskowin does today may provide the answers for coastal communities facing the same problems in the future -- a highly likely scenario, Allan said. Scientists with Oregon State University and the state Geology and Mineral Industries Department believe that not only is the sea level rising, but they have recently determined that maximum wave heights -- those mammoth waves that occur offshore during the winter months -- have risen dramatically from a previously estimated 33 feet to as much as 46 feet.

"Possible causes might be changes in storm tracks, higher winds, more intense winter storms, or other factors," said Peter Ruggiero, an assistant professor at OSU's Department of Geosciences. "These probably are related to global warming, but it could also be involved with periodic climate fluctuations ... and our wave records are sufficiently short that we can't be certain yet. But what is clear (is) the waves are getting larger." And they're taking their toll on the coastline. Neskowin's problems became apparent in the late 1990s after two winter storm seasons devoured the beaches. "There was a tremendous erosion," said Guy Sievert, a member of the Neskowin Coastal Hazards Committee. "We started coming here in 1990. We used to stay on the oceanfront and there was never a sense of threat; there was plenty of beach.

All that really changed in the late 1990s." Sievert went so far as to sell a house in the village so he could move to higher ground. "Just the other day, we all woke up to logs and debris as you come in to Neskowin," he said. "The storm surge brought logs and deposited them in the streets. It flooded the streets. It surprises you."

Two vulnerable towns Rockaway, to the north, is in a similar predicament, having lost about 164 yards of beach in recent years. The two towns on Oregon's north coast are particularly vulnerable because both have a long history of settlement and intense development, Allan said. Now, it's no longer the problem of individual homeowners but of the entire community. "The issue that may be coming to the foreground and may become a bigger issue in the future is what happens when homeowners can't pay the high cost to keep riprap in place?" Allan asked. "If they walk away, who is going to step in if that structure fails?" Neskowin has 408 houses, 94 of which are occupied full time by 169 residents.

The cost to maintain the riprap can easily reach into thousands of dollars, and maintenance can be necessary on a yearly basis, Allan said. Two years ago, when the riprap north of Proposal Rock failed, the waves came within hours of destroying a home. "That riprap is the lifeline for Neskowin now, and that's why they are struggling with the issue of what to do," he said. Outreach to experts That's where the Neskowin Coastal Hazards Committee comes in. Recently awarded a grant of about $20,000 from the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development, the group of scientists, professors, state and county employees is reaching out to experts worldwide for help.

"We are just looking for options and opportunities," said Tillamook County Commissioner Mark Labhart, who chairs the committee. "This is the first time it's been done as far as we know on the West Coast. We are trying to gauge the latest science. We're breaking new waves here -- forgive the pun -- trying to address this issue." Possibilities include trucking in sand, constructing vertical walls, or building barriers offshore beneath the water line. But all are extremely expensive and not necessarily doable. It's possible that nature will provide its own fix, as it did in Pacific City after storms scoured the beaches in the 1970s.

The community brought in riprap to protect a new subdivision only to see it disappear under a new deposit of sand, Allan said. The trouble is no one can say for sure when that might occur in Neskowin, or if it will. So the quest to save the village goes on. Sievert says Neskowin is caught between two terrible options: "Building the wall higher and higher, which will destroy the beach, and just letting the ocean have its way. "There are pictures of Neskowin back in the '20s and '30s of the ocean coming all the way to the golf course," he added. "We've created an artificial barrier to the ocean and now how do we preserve what we've created as much as possible, and yet understand the ocean is a natural system you cannot control? Given what we understand, we have not seen the worst of it.

"It's complicated."

Emergency planning for employees from www.ready.gov

Your employees and co-workers are your business's most important and valuable asset. There are some procedures you can put in place before a disaster, but you should also learn about what people need to recover after a disaster. It is possible that your staff will need time to ensure the well-being of their family members, but getting back to work is important to the personal recovery of people who have experienced disasters. It is important to re-establish routines, when possible.

Two-way communication is central before, during and after a disaster.
Include emergency preparedness information in newsletters, on company intranet, periodic employee emails and other internal communications tools.

Consider setting up a telephone calling tree, a password-protected page on the company website, an email alert or a call-in voice recording to communicate with employees in an emergency.

Designate an out-of-town phone number where employees can leave an "I'm Okay" message in a catastrophic disaster.

Provide all co-workers with wallet cards detailing instructions on how to get company information in an emergency situation. Include telephone numbers or Internet passwords for easy reference.

Maintain open communications where co-workers are free to bring questions and concerns to company leadership.

Ensure you have established staff members who are responsible for communicating regularly to employees.

Talk to co-workers with disabilities. If you have employees with disabilities ask about what assistance is needed. People with disabilities typically know what assistance they will need in an emergency.

Identify co-workers in your organization with special needs.

Engage people with disabilities in emergency planning.

Ask about communications difficulties, physical limitations, equipment instructions and medication procedures.

Identify people willing to help co-workers with disabilities and be sure they are able to handle the job. This is particularly important if someone needs to be lifted or carried.

Plan how you will alert people who cannot hear an alarm or instructions.
Frequently review and practice what you intend to do during and after an emergency with drills and exercises.

Quake-Up Call

Is Oregon ready for an earthquake like the one in Haiti - read this article and see.

http://wweek.com/editorial/3612/13620/#comments_add

Quake-Up Call
There’s a massive earthquake in Portland’s future—and a government “prophet of doom” will tell you all about it.

News Release from: Oregon State Police

MEDIA ADVISORY: "FANS DON'T LET FANS DRIVE DRUNK" PRE-SUPER BOWL WEEKEND DUII AWARENESS EVENT IN EUGENE
Posted: January 28th, 2010 10:58 AM
Photo/sound file: http://www.flashalertnewswire.net/images/news/2010-01/1002/DUIICrackdown_sign_1.jpg

***

The Oregon Governor's Advisory Committee on DUII, in partnership with the Oregon State Police, Oregon Association of Chiefs of Police, Oregon State Sheriff's Association and the Oregon Department of Transportation, announces that police officers statewide will be intensifying efforts Super Bowl Sunday, February 7th, as part of the national "Fans Don't Let Fans Drive Drunk" campaign. To kick off the state's participation, traffic safety partners will hold an alcohol impairment awareness demonstration in Eugene. The goal: raise awareness about the importance of driving sober so we can save lives.

When:
February 2, 2010
12 noon – 4:00 p.m.

10:00 a.m. – Event kickoff/Briefing with volunteer drinkers
12 noon – Media briefing and interviews with invited guests and law enforcement representatives
1:00 p.m. – Field sobriety demonstrations
3:00 p.m. – Final breath tests and event wrap-up

Where:
Lane Events Center (Fairgrounds)
796 W. 13th Avenue
Eugene, Oregon 97402
(Link to map & directions: http://www.laneeventscenter.org/maps.html)

What:
In what is called the "Super Bowl HVE Media-wet lab", volunteers will consume various amounts of alcohol and will be tested by police officers to demonstrate the intoxicating effects of alcohol and how these effects relate to driving. The field sobriety tests to be demonstrated at the event will include the horizontal gaze nystagmus eye test, the walk and turn test, and the one-leg stand test.

Who:
Several individuals will be present at the DUII awareness event to discuss some of the impaired driving legislation passed during the last session. Key area law enforcement personnel will also be present to discuss their agencies' special enforcement activities.

Additional:
Related information and two OSP in-car videos of DUII drivers will be made available to media for use following the event.

### www.oregon.gov/OSP ###

Who is going to help?

Whenever there is a storm or other type of disaster in Oregon, questions come to us about financial and other types of assistance. We hear “Who is going to help us?” and “How can we get state or federal assistance?”

I would love to be able to tell you that the government has enough money to fix everything for everyone but you know that’s not true. We do what we can under the laws that we have and that includes a process that must be followed. Having enough home and flood insurance is the best way to protect your property.

Response to a disaster begins at the local level. Each town, city and county is prepared to assist their citizens immediately during an event. If the disaster uses up all of their resources, county officials can ask the Governor for an emergency declaration. If the Governor agrees, state resources are provided, coordinated by Oregon Emergency Management (OEM), to assist the counties. If the disaster becomes a burden on the state, the Governor may ask the President for a federal declaration.

This is a simplified explanation of the process. There is always a lot of paperwork involved, information must be gathered and rules followed. Unfortunately when the storm hits you, it seems like everything takes forever.

Remember - Your first responders are working diligently to make things safe and secure and your local officials are following procedures to get you the assistance you need. Follow instructions from your local emergency managers and be prepared for the next one – it is still winter.

A Message from DHS:

The images from Haiti continue to illustrate the devastating impact of natural disasters. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is working hard to support the international response effort to help our neighbors recover from this tragedy.

Emergency preparation may not be possible for every individual, or for every type of emergency, but we cannot overstate the importance of preparedness planning. The U.S. federal government, along with many of our partners in the private sector, provides abundant resources for preparing your family for disasters.

We encourage you to utilize these resources and prepare your family to the fullest extent you can. If you live in a region prone to earthquakes, you are probably aware of the risks they pose. Knowing the risks within your community is the first step in evaluating the preparedness level of your family. DHS encourages you to research the potential risks in your area, evaluate how you should best respond, and prepare your family accordingly. Forethought and planning will help you make sound decisions during a crisis and keep your family safe.

Consider the following tips for preparing your family for emergencies: Visit the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) website and click any state to see the common local risks and how to best respond. Find out what your community is doing to prepare for emergencies and volunteer. Visit the websites of organizations and government programs like Ready.gov, Citizen Corps, and the National Safety Council and utilize the resources they provide. Subscribe to the free Citizen Corps news email service for community preparedness news and updates. Visit the website of the Home Safety Council to learn how you can make your home safer for you and your family.

Take classes in lifesaving skills, such as CPR/AED and first aid, or in emergency response, such as CERT. Work with parent-teacher organizations to discuss how you can support their emergency plans and drills. The Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools and Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools will have information on school emergency preparedness and response. Help children prepare for emergencies at their own pace and maturity level. Monetary contributions remain the best way to support the relief efforts in Haiti.