Presentation on Coastal Hazards

Landslide at Otter Rock.\Photo by Dennis White.

Oregon Shores (through our CoastWatch program) is collaborating with the Audubon Society of Lincoln City on a series of talks this winter, each dealing with threats to our coast and ocean and discussing how we can plan for resilience.  The webinar series is collectively known as "Beyond the Beach."

First up is a talk by Peter Ruggiero, a professor in Oregon State University’s College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences.  On Nov. 16, 6:30 p.m., he will discuss “The Cascadia Coastlines and Peoples Hazards Research Hub.”  The talk is free and open to all.

Dr. Ruggiero is the principal investigator of the Research Hub, a consortium of OSU and the University of Washington.  One aspect of the project will be looking at the significant risk of earthquakes from the Cascadia Subduction Zone, but our region also faces chronic risks such as coastal erosion, regional flooding and sea level rise due to climate change. Pete will discuss the Research Hub in the context of the approaching winter storms and rising tides and the increasing importance of community planning and policies that can be put in place for resiliency.

Pete Ruggiero’s research focuses on coastal geomorphology, coastal hazards, nearshore processes.  He is a well-known authority on increasing wave heights in the Pacific Northwest and how they are affecting the shore. 

He will be introduced by Jesse Jones, CoastWatch’s volunteer coordinator.  She will discuss the King Tides Project, a citizen project CoastWatch organizes together with the Oregon Coastal Management Program, through which volunteer photographers document the reach of the year’s highest tides.  The evidence of flooding and erosion provided by the King Tides Project can help coastal communities prepare for a future of sea level rise and increasing storm surges.

To attend this webinar, go here.