North Beach Community Improvement Association Projects & Committees

Committees and Projects of the

North Beach Community Improvement Association

Friends of Copalis River

David Yamaguchi explains how he fixed the date of the magnitude 9 Cascadia earthquake between September 1699 and June 1700.

The Friends of Copalis River Committee is working on several exploratory mini-projects: Construction of a Boat/Canoe/Kayak launch; Creation of nature trails along the estuary; and, Addition of an Interpretive Center. The river has a lot going for it. The Ghost Forest on the Copalis has drawn international interest. Since the mouth of the Copalis River defines the southern end of the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, the Griffiths-Priday State Park is an obvious place to create a gateway to this Sanctary and to leverage these assets for educational, ecological, and recreational purposes.

On May 3rd, 2008, the NBCIA and the Ocean Shores Paddle Club co-hosted a kyak and canoe trip to the Ghost Forest. Our guest of honor was David Yamaguchi. He and Brian Atwater proved that the Cascadia fault ruptured on Tuesday, January 26, 1700 at about 9:00 PM. (See "The Orphan Tsunami of 1700", Brian Atwater, et al, U. S. Geological Survey and University of Washington Press, 2005) That magnitude 9 earthquake resulted in the subsidence that created the Copalis River Ghost Forest. David stated that our ghost forest is the best. Jim Schmidt, Washington State Parks, was also along for the trip. He said that Parks is in negotiations to purchase 300 acres of ghost forest and a place for a car-top boat launch near the old Copalis Mechantile.

Water and Sewer Systems

The NBCIA Executive Board, acting as a Committee of the Whole is working to hasten the time when culinary water will become available to home owners and developers in our area. The economic growth of our area is significantly thwarted by the lack of plentiful culinary water. We also recognize lot sizes and rules controlling the distance required between septic systems and wells makes many residential lots unbuildable. Grays Harbor County owns excellent wells and water rights in Hogan's Corner. We are working with the county and developers to build the required infrastructure to bring good water into the Copalis Beach area (about 5 miles).

Once we have a good culinary water source we will redouble our efforts to bring in a sewer system.

Economic Development

The NBCIA Executive Board, acting as a Committee of the Whole is preparing to engage the services of the Grays Harbor Economic Development Council (GHEDC) for the performance of a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis. Michael Tracey, President and CEO of GHEDC [(360) 532-7888] will be facilitating this analysis as soon as we complete the formation of the Economic Development Committee. In March, 2008, we are actively inviting property owners and interested stake holders to join NBCIA and to work on this committee.

Highway Cleanup

The Highway Cleanup Committee is in charge of trash removal along State Route 109 from mile post 19 (Ocean Mist RV Park) to mile post 21 (Green Lantern Pub in Copalis Beach). This is a stretch of dangerous road with no sidewalks and very narrow shoulders. Washington State Department of Transportation (DOT) provides hard hats, vests, garbage bags and warning signage for the required April cleanup. They recommend two other per year under their Adopt-A-Highway program. Grays Harbor Sheriff's Department has assured their presence unless they are on a more urgent mission at the time.

The Highway Cleanup Project is under the supervision of the Highway Cleanup Committee which is headed by Dave Agner. April 17 is the date for the 2007 cleanup. Anyone who would like to assist in this work should contact Dave.

Cleanup April 17, 2007

Nine volunteers picked up 40 bags of trash.

Clickable Thumbnails.



Photos courtesy of Sara Gray, Editor, North Beach News and Eugene Shaughnessy

Cleanup July 12, 2007

Five volunteers picked up 10 bags of trash.

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Photo courtesy of Dave Agner, Committee Chairman.

Bridge Over Conner Creek - IS IN!!!

The new bridge extends from the end of Heath Road westward onto the sand spit between Conner Creek and the Pacific. County Commissioner Al Carter (seen here cutting the ribbon) has been very helpful in this effort. State Parks was primarily responsible for this new addition.

The picture at left was taken at high tide December 29, 2005. The others were taken during construction and ribbon cutting in the fall of 2007.

Watch for the big Conner Creek Bridge celebration when the tourist season opens in 2008.

David Yamaguchi explains how he fixed the date of the magnitude 9 Cascadia earthquake between September 1699 and June 1700.	The Friends of Copalis River Committee is working on several exploratory mini-projects: Construction of a Boat/Canoe/Kayak launch; Creation of nature trails along the estuary; and, Addition of an Interpretive Center. The river has a lot going for it. The Ghost Forest on the Copalis has drawn international interest. Since the mouth of the Copalis River defines the southern end of the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, the Griffiths-Priday State Park is an obvious place to create a gateway to this Sanctary and to leverage these assets for educational, ecological, and recreational purposes. On May 3rd, 2008, the NBCIA and the Ocean Shores Paddle Club co-hosted a kyak and canoe trip to the Ghost Forest. Our guest of honor was David Yamaguchi. He and Brian Atwater proved that the Cascadia fault ruptured on Tuesday, January 26, 1700 at about 9:00 PM. (See "The Orphan Tsunami of 1700", Brian Atwater, et al, U. S. Geological Survey and University of Washington Press, 2005) That magnitude 9 earthquake resulted in the subsidence that created the Copalis River Ghost Forest. David stated that our ghost forest is the best. Jim Schmidt, Washington State Parks, was also along for the trip. He said that Parks is in negotiations to purchase 300 acres of ghost forest and a place for a car-top boat launch near the old Copalis Mechantile.

	The NBCIA Executive Board, acting as a Committee of the Whole is working to hasten the time when culinary water will become available to home owners and developers in our area. The economic growth of our area is significantly thwarted by the lack of plentiful culinary water. We also recognize lot sizes and rules controlling the distance required between septic systems and wells makes many residential lots unbuildable. Grays Harbor County owns excellent wells and water rights in Hogan's Corner. We are working with the county and developers to build the required infrastructure to bring good water into the Copalis Beach area (about 5 miles). Once we have a good culinary water source we will redouble our efforts to bring in a sewer system.

	The No Graffiti Project is working with property owners whose buildings or other structures have been marred by graffiti.
(Not a North Beach graffiti)

	The new bridge extends from the end of Heath Road westward onto the sand spit between Conner Creek and the Pacific. County Commissioner Al Carter (seen here cutting the ribbon) has been very helpful in this effort. State Parks was primarily responsible for this new addition. The picture at left was taken at high tide December 29, 2005. The others were taken during construction and ribbon cutting in the fall of 2007. Watch for the big Conner Creek Bridge celebration when the tourist season opens in 2008.