Newport Developes Plan To Address Elevated Bacteria Levels Near Nye Beach

The City of Newport has developed a long-term plan to investigate and address elevated bacteria levels identified at the Nye Creek outfall near Nye Beach.

The Nye Creek watershed is an urban drainage basin that carries water through the City's stormwater system before discharging to the Pacific Ocean near the Nye Beach turnaround. Elevated bacteria levels in Nye Creek and at Nye Beach have been a concern for more than two decades, and extensive monitoring, testing, and investigations have been conducted by the City of Newport and the Newport Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation's Blue Water Task Force over the years to track the levels and help identify potential sources.

The Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Department of Environmental Quality also partner to regularly monitor ocean water quality at Newport-area beaches as part of its statewide beach monitoring program.

The Nye Creek Outfall Bacteria Levels Plan of Action establishes a systematic approach for continuing that work. The goal is to identify potential sources of bacteria entering the stormwater system, take corrective action when sources are identified, educate the community about ways to protect stormwater quality, and monitor results over time to measure the effectiveness of the City's efforts.

“This plan gives the City a clear, organized process for continuing to investigate bacteria levels in the Nye Creek drainage system,” said City Manager Nina Vetter. “We know this is an issue that matters to our community, and it will be a long-term, collaborative effort to identify and address. Our focus is on identifying potential sources, implementing solutions where we can, and using ongoing monitoring to determine whether those actions are improving water quality.”

Initial work will include establishing permanent sampling locations, continuing upstream and outfall sampling, tracing elevated bacteria results through the drainage system, conducting infrastructure investigations as needed, and expanding public education efforts. Corrective work will be implemented as specific problems are identified.

The City will establish permanent sampling locations throughout the drainage system and conduct ongoing water-quality testing, specifically in the Nye Creek area. When elevated bacteria levels are identified, staff will progressively trace the results upstream and investigate individual branches of the drainage network. Additional sampling locations may be added as needed. If a source is identified, the City will determine the appropriate corrective action based on the circumstances.

“Some potential sources of bacteria are outside the City’s regulatory control, which makes expanding community education an important part of this plan. Our community can help us protect stormwater quality by properly disposing of pet waste, keeping trash away from storm drains, properly disposing of RV sewage and wastewater, and preventing and reporting illegal dumping. By expanding education for our community and visitors in these areas, we hope to reduce the potential for contamination,” Vetter stated.

Addressing bacteria levels at the Nye Creek outfall will require continued monitoring, investigation, corrective action, and community participation. The City will provide updates as the Plan of Action is implemented and additional information becomes available.