Jetty access breach caused by increased storm erosion

Surf spills out into Ocean Shores Boulevard

Increased erosion from recent storms has caused a public danger near the Ocean Shores jetty, where high surf is washing over the beach and discharging from the beach access onto Ocean Shores Boulevard.

The city of Ocean Shores is asking for anyone having time-stamped photos of the waves coming over the jetty road into the street this week to send digital copies to nbird@osgov.com.

Mayor Crystal Dingler noted that several feet of sand has been removed from the access road by storm erosion this week. That is causing a run-up from the surf discharging from the beach access at the North Jetty Beach Access onto Ocean Shores Boulevard.

“It doesn’t seem to be so much the height of the waves but the longer period wave action causing erosion,” Dingler said. “Looking at the surf forecast models, it looks like this trend is going to continue for the next couple days (as the high tides get higher). This wave action is carrying logs and is dangerous.”

The city also is talking the Army Corps of Engineers and the National Weather Service (NWS) to understand what can be done and assess the danger, Dingler said.