Small Scopes

Basic Concept: In the past 150 years, the Willapa Entrance has changed dramatically. Charts and topographic maps of 150 years ago show a long spit arching down to the southeast from Cape Shoalwater into the entrance, and the main channel near present day Leadbetter Point. Successive charts map the shift of the main channel northward over the next 150 years. During those decades, Cape Shoalwater disappeared into the surf and Leadbetter Point built up out of the surf and extended northward. This situation is not unique to this or any other coastline, and serves as a severe reminder of the fragility of coastal lands built of sand. Similar stories could be told for Grays Harbor and Columbia Entrances; see Komar for several such tales on the Oregon Coast.
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