By GARRET JAROS/YachatsNews Whether an aerial spraying of herbicides in the South Beaver Creek watershed by a timberland owner will occur is still uncertain despite a company consultant saying last week that it was highly unlikely. The planned helicopter spraying of herbicides is opposed by the Seal Rock Water District, Lincoln County commissioners, residents […]
Environment
Yachats resident will lead new OSU effort to help prepare coastal communities for emergencies
By DANA TIMS/YachatsNews A sizable federal grant just awarded to Oregon State University will help the state’s coastal communities create emergency preparedness programs to face tsunamis and earthquakes. The two-year effort is being led by Yachats resident Tracy Crews, who works as a marine educator for OSU’s Oregon Sea Grant program in Newport. “The […]
NOAA researchers encouraged by larger number of gray whale calves that migrated north this spring
By NOAA FISHERIES Almost twice as many gray whale calves swam north with their mothers to their Arctic feeding grounds this spring compared to last year, according to a new count by NOAA Fisheries’ Southwest Fisheries Science Center. The results suggest that the eastern North Pacific population of gray whales that migrate along the […]
After uproar, consultant says it’s “highly unlikely” Beaver Creek timberland owner will proceed with aerial spraying
By GARRET JAROS/YachatsNews SEAL ROCK – A plan to spray herbicides from a helicopter on 473 acres of clearcuts in the South Beaver Creek watershed by a private timber owner is unlikely to happen anytime soon, a company representative said Tuesday. “It’s highly unlikely we will be doing the aerial spraying at this point,” […]
Federal energy agency asks for public comment on two Oregon coast sites slated for floating offshore wind farms
By DANA TIMS/YachatsNews Most of Oregon’s congressional delegation is hailing what they call a 60-day pause in federal efforts to develop floating offshore wind-energy platforms off the southern Oregon coast. Their comments, made in a letter to the director of the federal agency overseeing wind-energy planning, came after the government identified two draft “wind […]
Gray whales that spend summer off the Oregon coast are smaller than Arctic counterparts, OSU researchers find
By MICHELLE KLAMPE/OSU News Service NEWPORT – Gray whales that spend their summers feeding off the coast of Oregon are shorter than their counterparts who travel north to the Arctic for food, new research from Oregon State University’s Marine Mammal Institute shows. Both males and female gray whales in the subgroup known as the […]
Armed with nets, Sharpies and glitter pens, silverspot researchers spend the summer tracking threatened butterfly
By GARRET JAROS/YachatsNews Izzy Bur kneels on the ground to avoid the brunt of a howling wind that rakes across the salt-spray meadow overlooking the ocean south of Rock Creek. With the fingers of one hand gently grasping the gossamer wings of a butterfly she uses the other to write a number across the […]
NOAA scientists tracking large marine heat wave that’s raised Oregon coastal temperatures by 7 degrees
By DANA TIMS/YachatsNews A large marine heat wave that has developed each of the past four years has scientists watching closely to see how long it lasts and to what extent it could affect the coastal ecosystem and marine life in the coming months. A recent lessening in ocean upwelling – when winds […]
Big ship moves just offshore north of Waldport to begin new phase of OSU’s PacWave project
By MICHELLE KLAMPE/OSU News Service WALDPORT — The next step in Oregon State University’s construction of a wave energy testing facility off the Oregon coast is now visible to residents and visitors to the area. Crews are working on shore and from a vessel anchored about a mile offshore from Driftwood Beach State Recreation […]
With months of little rain and none on horizon, Lincoln County asks governor to declare drought emergency
By QUINTON SMITH and GARRET JAROS/YachatsNews After three months of almost no rain and the likelihood of little more until October, Lincoln County commissioners Wednesday asked Gov. Tina Kotek to declare a drought emergency for all of the county. The last time such a declaration was made was in 2021. The central coast has […]