Central Oregon Coast Lighthouse Closure, Newport Beach Declared Safe

Published 07/26/2018 at 4:52 PM PDT
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Newport, Oregon) – One reopening and one continued closure. Oregon Health Authority (OHA) has declared one central Oregon coast beach safe after a water advisory was issued last week, while a famed lighthouse near Florence has its closure extended.

At Newport’s Nye Beach, on the central Oregon coast, the public health advisory was lifted after OHA said the marine waters might not be safe for contact due to higher-than-normal levels of fecal bacteria. That advisory was issued on July 18 after various tests.

Recently, however, results from samples taken by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) showed lower bacteria levels at marine water sample locations. Contact with the marine water no longer poses a higher-than-normal risk. However, officials recommend staying out of large pools on the beach that are frequented by birds, as well as runoff from those pools, because the water may contain increased bacteria from fecal matter.

Some inland bodies of water close to the beach – even within a block or two – are not subject to health advisories, the OHA warns, and thus could still have some elevated levels. Caution should be observed with those.

For more information, visit the Oregon Beach Monitoring Program website at http://www.healthoregon.org/beach or call 971-673-0440, or call the OHA toll-free information line at 877-290-6767.

Farther down on the central Oregon coast, the Heceta Head Lighthouse near Florence has been under a temporary closure because of repair work and was set to reopen on July 31. Several unexpected issues have hindered the repair work, pushing the closure beyond its original end date, extended now to September 30.

Crews will continue to repair several cracked interior metal columns on the upper floor of the lighthouse. The lighthouse lens will be covered and out of service during the repair work.

The grounds surrounding the lighthouse will remain open to visitors. Interpretive programs will continue as regularly scheduled, but no visitors will be allowed to enter the lighthouse.

The historic assistant lighthouse keeper’s house, which the U.S. Forest Service operates through a concessionaire as a bed-and-breakfast, will remain open. Oregon Coast Lodgings in these areas - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours

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