DATE: Monday, October 6, 1997               TAG: 9710060082

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 

TYPE: Letter 

                                            LENGTH:   83 lines

OREGON INLET NEEDS TO BE STABILIZED WITH SAND BYPASSING

For a number of years now, the public has been misled by certain geologists (not oceanographers), who apparently have more interest in promoting their undocumented opinions than in dealing with the truth.

According to Webster's New World Dictionary, geology is ``the science dealing with the physical nature and history of the Earth, including the structure and development of its crust, the composition of its interior, individual rock types, the forms of life found as fossils . . .''

Oceanography is ``the study of the environment in the oceans, including the waters, depths, beds, animals, plants . . .''

Unknowingly, it appears that several journalists have assisted in the promotion of misinformation concerning Oregon Inlet stabilization. Throughout the world, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is recognized as tops in its field and is often called upon for advice and assistance. Those who are not even professionals in this particular field of expertise, and who mislead the public via the promotion of misinformation, should be tagged, tarred and feathered.

Oregon Inlet has been robbing beach sands from both Hatteras Island and the beaches to its north since its opening in 1846.

Oregon Inlet will continue to remove sand from the littoral drift system (naturally migrating sand along our beaches) until it either closes, as have at least seven other inlets between the Virginia line and Buxton, or a sand bypassing system, in conjunction with a pair of fixed structures that purposely intercept the sand, is put into operation.

Let's see what really has happened around Oregon Inlet since the terminal groin was constructed on the south side. These excerpts have been taken from ``A Unique Look at Oregon Inlet, N.C. U.S.A.'' published by the American Society of Civil Engineers and presented at the 25th International Conference for Coastal Engineering in 1996.

``A terminal groin was constructed at Oregon Inlet to prevent the important only highway route to popular beaches from being severed from the bridge. The construction was intended to establish a fillet in its lee that would return the shoreline to the pre-1986 position. The structure has been well tested by many large storms and has been very successful.

``A long-term measurement program, including semi-annual sled surveys, has documented the response of the coast to the construction. Measurements made over the past six years captured the unique response of the inlet to an unusual wave climate reversal. During the reversal, erosion was measured on both the updrift and downdrift sides. Since the processes have returned to more normal conditions, there has been recovery on the updrift side and the ebb shoal is accreting on the downdrift side. However, erosion on both sides indicates that natural bypassing continues to be insufficient at Oregon Inlet.

``Apparently, the eroded material is ending up in the inlet. The inlet has adjusted by the growth of the spit toward the south and the rapid development of a shoal under the bridge.''

With this and more than 100 official studies on Oregon Inlet, it would be in the best interests of all who live, work and play in northeastern North Carolina if local, state and federal elected officials would join together in promoting the truth concerning the need to stabilize Oregon Inlet with sand bypassing. Should this happen, a rightful and much past-due verdict will bring this case to a close, hopefully before the inlet becomes impassable and the greatly increasing potential of flood damages, severely damaged water quality and marine resources, economic devastation, and even the opening of another inlet become a muchunwanted happening. Ever since man began changing the natural processes on our Outer Banks with dune structures, homes, transportation corridors, utilities, etc., engineering has become a necessity. This is an opportunity to give an engineered assist to nature.

To date, since the 1970 congressional authorization, the state of North Carolina has yet to ``provide without cost to the United States, all lands, easements and rights-of-way required for construction,'' and the corps is about to complete yet another environmental impact statement for the ``umpteenth'' time.

Those who have published incorrect, untruthful and/or undocumented comments about the stabilization of Oregon Inlet must share the blame for such lengthy delays. It is past time for the uninformed to stand down and for the state to provide the lands and permits as required in the 1970 congressional authorization as well as the now required cost share.

Will the elected representatives from the local to the federal level cut the ``B.S.'' and do the job? Only time will tell, and the clock appears to be in the last quarter. Talk is cheap, but action requires effort and money! In this case the return on the investment has been documented and redocumented to be excellent.

Harry B. Schiffman,

former liaison for Gov. Jim Martin on Oregon Inlet and former chairman of the Dare County Oregon Inlet and Waterways Commission

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