Mile 161 - Oregon Dunes NRA just north of Siltcoos River - 05/14/2024

Report Details

We are 6th-grade Stream Team students who went to the Mile 161 shoreline. We went to see the wrack line and we gathered information on what we saw. On the wrack line, we found about 93 seagulls, 88 snowy plovers, 7 blackheads, 89 short bill gulls, 11 plovers, 6 geese, 7 Velella velella, 29 humans, and 7 dogs. We also saw a white jeep, two side-by-side, two four-wheelers, four trucks, and a dark green helicopter on Mile 161. Vehicles in Siltcoos Outlet are not allowed on the dry sand on March 15 to September 15 because the snowy plovers need a safe place to repopulate and make nests but the vehicles can be on the wet sand away from the plovers. Finally, on the wrack line of Mile 161, we found about 75 rocks, 24 plastic, 200 shells, 20 animal casings, 2 glass, and 3 pieces of wood.

Conditions

Temperature: 56 F. Cloud Cover: Sunny. Wind Velocity: Strong. Tide Level: 4.0 feet.

Human Activities

Number of people: 29. Number of dogs: 7. Walking or running: 16. Sitting: 13.

Concerns

Litter

Notable Wildlife

93 seagulls, 88 snowy plovers, 7 blackheads, 89 short bill gulls, 11 plovers, 6 geese

Dead Fish or Invertebrates

7 Velella velella

Driftline Content

Small rocks, Seaweeds and seagrass, Shells, Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt), Wood pieces, Marine debris (plastic, styrofoam, etc. washing in from the sea), Ocean-based debris (from fishing boats, ship trash, etc.). We found about 75 rocks, 24 plastic, 200 shells, 20 animal casings, 2 glass, and 3 pieces of wood

Natural Changes

Erosion of vegetated foredune, Visible retreat of solid bluff, Evidence of wave overtopping. Erosion of the foredune