Yaquina Bay, Oregon, Case Study Area
Earthquakes pose significant threats to Oregon coastal communities, including those of loss of life, damage, and disruption of transportation and utility systems, industrial and commercial enterprises, and other development (Yelin, 1995). Damage could result from numerous coseismic, or earthquake-related events, such as severe ground shaking, soil liquefaction, landslides, land subsidence, and tsunami generation. A tsunami generated by a distant seismic source can also pose a threat, demonstrated by the regional damages associated with the March 28, 1964, Alaskan earthquake (Lander and Lockridge, 1989).
Due to their geographic location, ports and harbors are especially vulnerable to these hazards. Ports and harbors are, however, important components of many coastal communities, supporting numerous activities critical to the regional economy. Also as other transportation lifelines are hit during an earthquake event, ports and harbors also are likely to be of immense importance in relief and recovery operations. While ports and harbors are important components of the regional economy and society, and while recent studies have shown that public perception of hazard issues is high in Oregon (Cornutt, 1999), site-specific mitigation strategies for earthquake and collateral hazards have yet to be developed for these critical resources (OSSPAC, 1992; CNHPWG 1994; Good, 1998). To date, community efforts have focused primarily on public awareness and evacuation planning (Hawley, pers. comm.).
Yaquina Bay, Oregon
The Yaquina Bay ports and harbors community includes portions of the cities of Newport and Toledo and the port districts within each city. Located on the central Oregon coast within Lincoln County, Yaquina Bay is a deep-draft port harbor serving a variety of vessels. The City and Port of Newport occupy the area immediately inside the bay mouth, and the City and Port of Toledo are approximately 7 miles inland of the Yaquina River.
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