The Newport Blue Water Task Force continues to expand with new projects and partnerships with OSU Extension's after school programming and the Oregon Coast Aquarium's Youth Volunteer Program. Additionally the central coast chapter has formed a new campaign to better framework the increased watershed management potentials which the Blue Water Task Force influences. Through the incorporation of youth involved with OSU Extension's after school program (Newport Middle School), the chapter will be gaining increased water quality data from a number of sites within the Nye watershed and mid-coast basin. The additional data allows the chapter to better recognize management possiblilites and best practices for stormwater planning and development. Beginning with watershed protection ordinances of the Big Creek resevoir, the city of Newport's culinary water source, the chapter hopes to adopt similar protection ordinances for urban watersheds. Implementing management strategies and land use planning ordinances is visioning beyond water quality problems and working toward solutions through engaging citizens, science and stakeholder interest into management decisions. Furthermore, blue water task force helps shortcut the TMDL process by incorporating these best management practices prior to 303d listings. The state of Oregon is required under the Clean Water Act to list all water bodies that are water quality impaired on a "303d" list. Subsequently, a TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Load) is established for that particular body of water. After a lengthy process, 303d listings will be required to establish and implement management plans to mitigate or improve water quality. The state of Oregon anticipates this process completing in 2010 for the midcoast basin. By incorporating management decisions now, local governments, counties and cities will be better positioned to meet Clean Water Act standards.

The AquaBuOY 2.0 is now investigating the seafloor off Newport rather than wave energy. Finavera announced yesterday the completion of their piloting project for the buoy, leaving it behind last Saturday when it accidentally sunk to the seafloor. We all have lots of questions on this one and are investigating the issue thoroughly. To read the official press release from Finavera, see the link below. What questions remain? There's permitting and insurance complication with when and how the salvage effort will occur. The rumors are flying that this might not come out until spring...what if it gets covered with sand and can't be removed, what if it does move and threatens public saftey on the beaches and in the surf and just what kind of precedent does this delayed salvage set for future projects. Other questions remain about the buoy's design, why it sunk, what it's currently doing to the benthic habitat and marine life and how it may affect crabbers this season. If nothing else this points to the need for small piloting projects and serious planning for build out of projects. I think we all support a green future for energy but we have to make sure it's really green...there was a time we thought hydro was green...the salmon would argue otherwise. More to come... Finavera-NewsRelease.pdf