Click on this image to see more from the event.

The Save Our Shorelines committee sponsored a workshop at the Oregon Coast Community College on April 8th; attendees found it to be an interesting event. After opening greetings the meeting was initiated by a panel including Kent Norris, Jack's Strayer and Josh Brainard. Kent Norris described the process of his Save Our Shoreline project last year. Partnering with Jim and Cheryl Luebke they restored their entire shoreline across two lots.

Kent described some of the frustrations of getting the required permitting in a project that took two years to complete.  In the end, a nudge by Representative Kurt Schrader put the project over the starting line.

On installation day 18 volunteers from The Devil's Lake Neighborhood Association members helped Kent and his professional crew.  With all the volunteers the project timeline was cut in half. Now Kent waits to see how many plants survived this winter, which was characterized very wet with high lake levels.

Jack Strayer describe a near shore planting plan which he has initially drafted for consideration by the District’s Save Our Shoreline committee.  The plan related to planting around and in the lake in selected trial areas. The study would attempt to isolate the plantings from grass carp using some sort of enclosure.  The goal would be to attempt to get some beneficial native vegetation  a foothold in the lake.  The document must still be review by the committee and eventually the DLIWD board of directors.

The second half of the meeting was a presentation by a panel on the aeration of Devil's Lake.  The panel participants were Larry Rich, Bill Sexton, Mark Christie and John Tuchi from Lakesavers.

Bill Sexton described his experience with the nearshore using the consumer model AirStream dock mounted  aeration product. These products may be very useful in trying to treat nearshore areas where a more formal aeration system would not touch.

John Tucci described the use of the Airstream commercial sized unit which is now installed at Blue Heron Marina for our trial. (see Projects:SOS) At the conclusion of the meeting the participants went to the Thompson Creek Canal at Rice's home two view an AirStream unit in action. The Rices hosted the group with a wonderful barbecue luncheon to top off today. The SOS Committee make helping the lake a very appetizing thing.