9 July 2015
Local officials say conservation is an option, not a requirement
There’s been a lot of talk lately about water shortages in other parts of the state and even in Lane County. Those shortages don’t apply to residents of Florence. Mike Miller, Florence’s Public Works Director said our water source here makes all the difference in the world.
Mike Miller– “Lane County did a county-wide drought declaration. State followed suit and declared a drought emergency, but we’re unique. We’re on the west side of the Coast Range. Very rain-driven. Not snow-pack driven.”
Florence draws its water from the dunal aquifer. Several wells feed the water treatment plant and can produce up to three-million gallons of water each day. That’s more than enough to accommodate even the highest demand.
Mike Miller – “I think the highest usage was in 2006 or 5, something like that. I want to say it was something like 1.8 million gallons. But over the Fourth we hit about 1.7.”
Still, says Miller, despite being plentiful, water is a – quote – “precious resource” and shouldn’t be wasted.
Billed as “family fun on the sand”
DuneFest will appear on the sand beneath Umpqua Lighthouse in Douglas County once again beginning later this month.
The annual festival is centered around motorized activities on the Oregon Dunes Recreation Area. There will be moto-cross racing, sand drags, camping, vendors and even a “kid-safe” riding area and live entertainment.
For the second year in a row, the Reedsport-Winchester Bay Chamber of Commerce reports DuneFest will be sponsored by Polaris RZR (razor). The ATV manufacturer will showcase their latest models and offer test rides.
DuneFest opens Wednesday, July 29th and runs through the following Sunday.
46th Oregon Country Fair
If you’re headed out to the Willamette Valley via Highway 126 over the next few days, don’t forget to give yourself a little extra time to get through the Veneta area.
The 46th annual Oregon Country Fair opens tomorrow.
Lane County Sheriff’s Deputies will be providing additional patrols in the area, just west of Veneta because of the congestion as fairgoers flock to the site. There will also be a temporary speed reduction in the area due to the high number of vehicles and pedestrians expected in the area.
You can’t buy tickets for the Country Fair at the gate… they’re only available at one of several ticket locations away from there.
Lane Transit District is also running free shuttles to and from the fair from Eugene.
Forest Service offers commercial mushroom permits
Annual permits for the commercial harvest of the prized matsutake mushroom will go on sale August Fifth at the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area office in Reedsport.
Only 100 of the permits will be provided, on a first-come-first-served basis. They cost $270 each.
Anyone gathering matsutakes within the Siuslaw National Forest with the intention of selling them must carry a valid commercial-use permit while picking.
No permit is needed if you are gathering mushrooms for personal use. Officials urge caution when gathering mushrooms. According to information released by the Siuslaw National Forest there are “similarly looking poisonous mushrooms” in the area. They also recommend specific methods of gathering the good ones so as to not disturb the topsoil.
Personal use mushrooms must also be cut in half immediately upon harvesting so they won’t have any commercial value.
