Leveraging community partners to protect public health and solve pollution problems with the Blue Water Task Force.
Located on the Central Coast of Oregon, the city of Newport is known for its stunning coastline, thriving marine life, and abundant outdoor recreational opportunities. In fact, Newport offers some of the best whale watching opportunities and surf breaks along Oregon’s Coast. Newport is also a hub for fishing, with one of the busiest fishing ports in the state. Anglers can catch everything from salmon to crab, and kayaking enthusiasts enjoy exploring the scenic, rugged coastline. The growing popularity of the area for both tourists and residents, along with the development that comes with it, has started to impact coastal water quality.
The Newport Chapter launched its Blue Water Task Force (BWTF) program nearly two decades ago to raise community awareness of local water quality conditions and to protect safe recreational activities at the coast. Over the years, the Newport BWTF has earned a strong reputation as a trusted source of water quality information. This success can be attributed to a dedicated team of volunteers, strong community partnerships, and a solid working relationship with the city of Newport.
BWTF volunteers use sampling poles to collect water samples at Nye Beach.
The chapter partners with the Oregon Coast Aquarium to host its BWTF lab. Every other weekend, chapter volunteers collect water samples from 14 different beaches and sampling sites from Seal Rock up to Otter Rock State Park. Aquarium Youth Volunteers and staff process the samples in the lab and post the test results on the BWTF website. The chapter further shares this water quality data with the community through its biweekly newsletter and social media channels. In 2024, the Newport BWTF tested over 250 samples to inform the public about local water quality conditions!
While this collaborative relationship is beneficial to the chapter, as they don’t have to worry about running their own lab, the high school students who participate as youth volunteers gain valuable hands-on experience in a scientific laboratory and a deep understanding of local water quality issues.
Like agency-run beach monitoring programs in most coastal states, the seasonal beach program run by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and the Oregon Health Authority has a limited budget and is only able to test four beaches within the Newport Chapter’s area from May through September. This leaves many popular beaches untested and public health completely unprotected during the cooler, off-season months. During the winter, surfers enjoy larger, more powerful waves hitting the coast, especially from November through February. The Newport BWTF fills these testing gaps by monitoring more beaches year-round than the state can cover. The chapter also tests several stormwater pipe outfalls that bring pollution to the beach. With a large and responsive volunteer team, the Newport BWTF is often the first to detect potential pollution issues before they become widespread problems. When their testing reveals a dangerously high bacteria test result, the chapter alerts the city and notifies the public through their newsletter and social media posts.
The Newport BWTF is proud of its strong, collaborative relationship with the city of Newport. What began as an investigation into Newport’s stormwater system following pollution at Nye Creek nearly 20 years ago has since evolved into a valuable and productive working relationship (read more about this long-established and productive relationship here). Today, the city uses BWTF water quality data to flag issues in its storm drains and sewer lines. When high bacteria levels are detected, the chapter alerts the city’s public works staff, enabling them to quickly investigate the source.
For example, in 2023, the chapter found high bacteria levels at Schooner Creek. When the city investigated, they discovered manholes in a forested area that were part of an abandoned development that had been overlooked due to a mapping error. In the 1990s, a developer started building underground infrastructure for new homes, but after facing strong community pushback, the project was left unfinished. As a result, the manholes were left in the middle of the woods, and trash had built up inside, blocking the stormwater system.
After correcting the problem, the city revised its inspection process to check sewer connections outside of typical neighborhoods and streets. The city has expressed its appreciation for the BWTF’s work and is eager to continue collaborating to identify potential sources of sewage contamination in the stormwater system and creeks that discharge onto local beaches. The chapter maintains regular contact with the city, ensuring members are always up to date on contamination events and infrastructure repair progress, which fosters trust and transparency within the community.
Top: Reading water quality test results in the lab. Bottom: Surfers enjoy a large, clean swell in Newport, Oregon.
The Newport BWTF volunteers have also been making waves at the national level. Their passionate advocacy at town hall meetings played a key role in getting Senator Ron Wyden to sponsor the BEACH Act. The BEACH Act ensures that people have the water quality information they need to protect themselves and the health of their families when recreating at our beaches and coastal waterways. Thanks to this grassroots work, BWTF volunteers are helping shape policy that will benefit not only Newport but coastal communities nationwide.
Looking ahead, the Newport Chapter is eager to reopen its second lab in Depoe Bay, which will enhance testing efforts in northern Lincoln County. With the support of dedicated volunteers and their local partners at the Oregon Coast Aquarium and the city of Newport, the Newport BWTF is making a real difference in their community, ensuring that local waters remain clean and safe for everyone to enjoy for years to come.
If you have plans to visit the Central Oregon Coast this year, connect with the Newport Chapter for information on local events and current water quality conditions. And don’t forget to check out the latest Clean Water Report!