Washington State Parks Seeks Comments on Seashore Conservation Line Survey

The Washington State Parks Commission is in the planning phase of its 2010 Seashore Conservation Line survey project for the Pacific and Grays Harbor coasts of the Seashore Conservation Area. The Conservation Area includes the north-south strip of beachfront that lies between the line of ordinary high tide and the line of extreme low tide, as well as coastal land in State's ownership or control. It extends from roughly the Columbia River to the southern boundary of the Quinault Nation. The Commission is responsible for the protection of the SCA to ensure its survival for the enjoyment of future generations. Every 10 years, the Commission is required to conduct surveys in the Conservation Area to mark its easternmost edge, and to document the accretion and erosion of beachfront sand. The initial survey was conducted in 1968.

On May 6, 2010 State Parks staff began a series of informational meetings about the project objectives and timeline, meeting with local officials of Pacific and Grays Harbor counties. Meeting have since been held throughout June with the public in coastal communities including Long Beach, Westport and Ocean Shores.

The 2010 survey will include 60 miles of coastline, as well as the developed state parks and ocean beach access roads within the Seashore Conservation Areas of Pacific and Grays Harbor counties. The survey is expected to begin in the summer of 2010 and be completed by spring of 2011 and will provide important tools for State Parks and local governments to identify and manage the State's extensive beach area properties for recreation and resource protection.

State Parks is very interested in receiving public comments about this project which may be submitted via email, phone, fax or mail to:

Project lead: Shannon Stevens, Parks Property Specialist
E-mail: OceanBeachesSurvey@parks.wa.gov
Phone: (360) 902-8584
Fax: (360) 586-0207
Mail: P.O. Box 42650, Olympia, WA 98504-2650

To learn more up the the Parks survey and upcoming meetings please visit http://www.parks.wa.gov/plans/seashoreconservation/.