The Port of Bandon, under the design and supervision work of Natural Resources Consultant, Michael J. Scalici,
is restoring tidal functions to a portion of a former lagoon basin on the Coquille River's ocean spit. The project,
originally conceived by Port Director Alex Linke, was funded by monies from Oregon Department of Fish and
Wildlife's Restoration and Enhancement Program (ODFW R&E # 99-104). Below shows an aerial photograph of
the project site.


In the autumn of 1999, an inlet channel at the head of an entrance cove, carved through a north-northeast
trending dune. From here, a set of tidal channels was extended, which terminating at a grove of willows (WG)
located near the southern edge of the former lagoon basin. Logs, course rock, and oyster shells were used to
line the beds and banks of the channels to add stability and to create the microhabitat needed for invertebrates,
which attract invertebrate-feeding fish.

The inlet channel was breached on November 9, 1999, flooding 1,000 lineal feet of tidal channels and adding
up to about an acre of new brackish wetland and subtidal pool habitat. The key to project success was designing
the inlet to withstand the high wave energy it would experience due to its proximity to the ocean and its sandy
substrate.

In 2000, the Port received additional funding from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife's Restoration
and Enhancement Program to extend the channel network to connect with the former lagoon basin. This would
restore tidal flooding to this basin, which had been disrupted by the Euro-American legacy of pile dike construction
along the adjacent estuary banks, and by the planting of European beach grass along the spit's foredunes. Two
sinuous, habitat-rich channels were carved around either side of the willow grove that were designed to merge at
a Confluence Pool at the southern edge of the basin. An additional channel network was constructed along the
Southeast margin of the basin. The total length of channels we created this year was about 1,000 ft.

Chunks of sod, with native salt marsh vegetation growing in them, were obtained from the basin's original
entrance cove (right side of figure), and transplanted along the banks of the project's entrance cove to help
stabilize them and establish marsh habitat. Native trees and shrubs were also replanted and trails constructed
around the upland portions of the site.

Fish sampling revealed Chinook salmon fry used the project channels from mid-March to mid-May of last year,
feeding on the abundant invertebrates that inhabit them before heading out to sea. During the summer, and well
into the autumn, a number of juvenile marine school fishes were seen entering and feeding in the project channels
during high tides. These fish included Pacific saury, northern anchovy, and whitebait smelt. Pacific saury remained
in the project waters until late November.

Waterfowl such as bufflehead, Canada geese, and mallards use the marsh to rest and feed, and green winged
teal have been seen spending the night in the newly flooded lagoon waters. Shorebirds feed along its banks, and
birds of prey like osprey, northern harrier hawks, and even bald eagles could be seen flying overhead searching
for prey.

Hikers, kayakers, birders, and equestrians are welcome to visit the site. To rent a kayak visit: [Adventure Kayak]
In order to maintain the viability of the wetland's sensitive shorelines, equestrians are asked to restrict their horses
to the trails and away from the project shorelines.