| Title | The 1997-98 El Nino and erosion on the Oregon coast |
| Publication Type | Magazine Article |
| Year of Publication | 1998 |
| Authors | Komar, Paul D. |
| Secondary Title | Shore & Beach |
| Volume | 66 |
| Number | 3 |
| Pagination | 33-41 |
| Call Number | OSU Libraries: Guin TC330 .A1 A5 |
| Keywords | Cape Lookout State Park, El Nino, erosion, wave data, wave height |
| Abstract | We first became aware of the importance of El Nino to coastal erosion in the Pacific Northwest - the shores of Oregon and Washington - during the extreme 1982-83 event. The realization that El Nino can bring havoc to our coast has been strongly reinforced by the 1997-98 occurrence. Beach and property erosion has been severe at a number of sites along the Oregon coast, recurring in areas that previously had suffered during the 1982-83 El Nino. The objective of this paper is to briefly examine the coastal processes enhanced by El Nino that are important in producing erosion along the Oregon coast. While measurements during the ongoing El Nino are still being collected and analyzed, it is evident that the processes are remarkably similar to those experienced during 1982-83. The main focus of this paper will be a description of the erosional "hot spots" experienced during the 1997-98 El Nino along the Oregon coast. The examples presented will serve to illustrate how El Nino processes combine to yield unusually severe beach erosion and property losses. |
| Notes | Cape Lookout State Park on Netarts Spit is one of four erosion hot spots mentioned in this article (the others are Port Orford, The Capes development near Netarts Bay, and Alsea Spit). |
