Wash Away No More

North Willapa Harbor Grange, a 501(c)3 charitable organization located on Washington State’s outer coast, is raising funds to combat the erosion of Wash Away Beach. Recent experiments using natural, local materials have demonstrated a relatively inexpensive way to rebuild the barrier dune saving remaining North Cove homes.

The Grange lost it’s hall in the 1960’s when North Cove Spit disappeared into the migrating deep water channel. The channel has been stable for many years slowing the encroaching sea but the final barrier dune has been breached. Salt water threatens not only the remaining homes on the beach but the entire fresh water wetlands of Grayland. The many cranberry bogs and natural swamps are close to sea level.

In 2015 Pacific County Drainage District #1 placed small rock and anchored large driftwood sloping from the eroding cliff to the beach which mimics the natural shoreline as seen elsewhere on the Northwest Coast. This dynamic cobble berm breaks up the force of the waves as the rocks move and absorb energy. The north bank of Willipa Harbor has a two mile stretch needing this defense.

For more information go to: https://www.facebook.com/NorthCove1881/