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June 22, 2021
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Commissioners expect to declare drought CHERI BRUBAKER Guest Contributor
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Chinook Winds Casino Resort invites everyone to help celebrate their 26 years in business. A massive fireworks display will take place on Saturday night, June 26, starting at approximately 10 pm! The fireworks tradition is one guests from all over the state of Oregon have enjoyed for more than 19 years. For more information on Chinook Winds anniversary events go to www.chinookwinds.com
Can the ocean adapt to rising temperatures? BY DAVID RUPKALVIS The News Guard
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ising temperatures, possibly from man-caused climate change, are putting ocean life at risk. Maybe. During a presentation Thursday to celebrate the 50th year of Oregon Shores, Steve Palumbi, a biologist and author, said studies have shown some ocean animals have the ability to evolve and adapt to the changes in the water. Palumbi, who also works as a professor at Stanford University, was invited to talk about the Extreme Life of the Sea, which is also the title of a book he and his son wrote. “I’ve spent a lot of time on the Oregon coast,” he said. “It’s a fabulously beautiful place.” Palumbi started off by talking about the extreme life in the ocean. For example, some rockfish can live to be 120 years old. And some fish can “fly.” “Fish and marine life are amazing creatures,” Palumbi said. “Flying fish are only fast out of the water, and they don’t actually fly, they glide.” Palumbi said the fish evolved
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As ocean temperatures rise, sea life, especially close to shores, is threatened by rising water temperatures and ocean acidification. Sea stars already have low numbers due to a sickness that spread through the coast in recent years.
hough there was rain prior to the June 14 meeting of the Lincoln County Commissioners, Commissioner Kaety Jacobson reported the situation is not looking good this year for Lincoln County. Jacobson provided a report on a meeting earlier that day of what she called “an ad hoc drought group” she formed shortly after joining the board of commissioners to consider the county’s drought readiness and response. Both the Alsea and Siletz have been at historic lows, though at the time of the meeting they were discharging well above average, Jacobson said. “The recent rain didn’t get us out of the direction we’re headed,” she explained, noting the U.S. Drought Monitor upgraded all of Lincoln County to severe drought. While the widespread rain over the previous weekend provided sufficient moisture to crops, the dry conditions returned in the days following. Jacobson indicated the drought group expects the need for a drought declaration in the next week or two. Fifteen Oregon counties have requested drought declarations, Jacobson reported, with 18 under governor-declared droughts. Nearby Lane and Benton counties are experiencing drought. County Counsel Wayne Belmont noted the benefit of representatives of local water purveyors attending the meeting. He also pointed out a drought declaration in and of itself does not trigger either conservation or curtailment plans. “We want to be consistent in our messaging and information to the public,” Belmont told Jacobson and Commissioner Clare Hall. Board Chair Doug Hunt was absent from the meeting. A number of larger water purveyors, including Seal Rock Water District and Devil’s Lake Water Improvement District, and the cities of Lincoln City, Newport, Yachats and Waldport, formed the Mid-Coast Water Conservation Consortium. The purpose of the consortium is to promote water conservation awareness and actions, and also to increase resiliency during droughts and emergencies though alignment of mitigation and response activities, sharing conservation resources and providing a consistent message to water consumers, Belmont explained. Belmont a recommended that when the board makes a declaration of drought, at the same time it request the consortium and other public and private water purveyors begin their conservation efforts — in terms of education and specific actions such as limitations and curtailment, which he indicated was universally supported by members of the consortium. The board of commissioners expects to make a drought declaration in the next week or two.
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