Record Details
Ocean shore protection policy and practices in Oregon : an evaluation of implementation success
ScholarsArchive at Oregon State University
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Title | Ocean shore protection policy and practices in Oregon : an evaluation of implementation success |
| Names |
Good, James W.
(creator) Matzke, Gordon E. (advisor) |
| Date Issued | 1992-08-07 (iso8601) |
| Note | Graduation date: 1993 |
| Abstract | Oregon's beaches were designated public recreation areas by the 1967 Beach Law. These beaches and adjacent shorelands experience erosion and other hazards due to winter storm waves, weathering, and geologic instability. Sea cliff recession threatens older development and inadequate construction setbacks create hazards for new buildings. The typical hazard response is to install a hard shore protection structure (SPS). An evaluation of shore protection and land use policy implementation, factoring in recent advances in our understanding of coastal processes and engineering, suggests that policies designed to mitigate hazards and protect the beach are not working well. Five state laws that make up the "shore protection management regime" were examined using an oceanfront taxlot- based geographic information system (GIS) for the 16- mile long Siletz littoral cell on the central coast. Policy objectives were determined, measures of achievement and related data needs were identified, and the GIS vdesigned accordingly. Seven principal shore protection policy objectives and twenty-five measures of achievement were identified. GIS queries related to these measures revealed that 49% of the Siletz cell beachfront has been hardened with SPSs-69% of it since the 1967 Beach Law. Because of jurisdictional gaps, 31% of the post-1967 SPSs were not regulated. For those that were regulated and approved, no clear need could be determined in 35% of the cases. Also, 28% of the SPSs were installed on vacant lots, often because local officials required a SPS before owners could obtain a building permit. This and other findings, such as inadequate construction setbacks, suggest that land use decisions, more than erosion hazards, are driving the demand for beachfront SPSs. In the SPS permit process, alternatives to hard SPSs are not thoroughly evaluated, SPSs are typically overdesigned, and many encroach on the public beach, affecting access. Cumulative SPS impacts are significant, especially the blocking of 39% of the sand supply from eroding sea cliffs. Given expected future erosion and relative sea level rise along the central Oregon coast, some beaches may gradually disappear. Based on this analysis, Oregon's ocean shore protection management regime needs an overhaul. Addressing these policy issues now will help preserve Oregon's beaches for future generations. |
| Genre | Thesis |
| Topic | Coastal zone management -- Government policy -- Oregon -- Evaluation |
| Identifier | http://hdl.handle.net/1957/9045 |
