Ecola Outfall Information and Testing

We live in a high rainfall area with many natural streams draining the forest and wetland around us. As the City of Cannon Beach was built up, these streams have been channeled and culverted. Runoff from City streets, parking lot areas, roofs and other impervious manmade structures is collected in "storm sewers", separately from the sanitary sewer system, and directed into these natural streams. At times, high bacterial contamination has been found in some of the streams that flow from the City into the ocean; particularly, the outfall at the west end of Gower Street (Ecola Outfall).

The City has reviewed the situation and in conjunction with the Oregon Beach Monitoring Program, conduct weekly tests for the bacterium enterococcus, which is an indicator of the presence of other illness-causing organisms. Enterococcus has been shown to have a greater correlation in marine waters with swimming-associated illnesses than other bacterial organisms. Enterococcus is present in human and animal waste and can enter marine waters from a variety of sources such as streams and creeks, storm water runoff, animal and seabird waste, failing septic systems, sewage treatment plant spills, or boating waste.

Weekly Testing