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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 21, 2019)
COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL | WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2019 | 9A Fault from A7 Millions of people live with the knowledge that, any day, civilization as they know it could potential- ly be turned upside down when the plates along the Cascadia Subduction Zone unleash their bottled-up energy. The subduction zone is a 620-mile-long fault line that stretches from Cana- da’s northern Vancouver Island to Cape Mendocino in California. As the Juan de Fuca Plate gradually slips under the much larg- er North American Plate and loses its ability to store mechanical stress, a devas- tating release of that energy has the potential to shake the region with a magni- tude 9 earthquake. According to geologists at Oregon State University (OSU), there have been at least 41 major (magnitude 8 or greater) quakes along the Cascadia Subduction Zone in the past 10,000 years, making the average interval between the events 244 years. Intervals differ depend- ing on the fault segment, however. A 2016 analysis done with the help of re- searchers at OSU found a section of the zone in Ore- gon from Newport to Asto- ria to rupture an average of once every 350 years. The last documented major earthquake along the sub- duction zone was 319 years ago on January 26, 1700. STIHL CHAIN SAW $179.95 Proud Sponsor for the Kids Reading Stock# MS 170 Program Free Extra Chain and Horner's Baseball Cap with purchase. “There’s no question that we’re due for anoth- er megaquake,” said Steve Robinson, president of Cascadia Prepared. “We know it’s coming. The sci- ence is clear on that. We also know that we’re not ready.” Cascadia Prepared is a Eugene-based nonprofit that has been working to increase personal, busi- ness and infrastructure readiness for the past three years. “If the quake happened tomorrow, it would very likely be the worst natural disaster ever to hit North America,” said Robinson. By most state and feder- al estimates, thousands of Oregonians would likely die as a direct result of the quake and even more along the coastline as it is inun- dated with sea water. Total economic losses are esti- mated by the Oregon Seis- mic Safety Policy Advisory Commission (OSSPAC) to be around $32 billion. A 13-year study from OSU concluded in 2012 that there is a 40 percent chance of a major earth- quake in the Coos Bay region during the next 50 years. The earthquake may approach the intensity of the Tohoku quake that dev- astated Japan in March of 2011. Robinson puts that num- ber higher, citing an in- creased frequency of earth- quakes in the past 5,000 or so years. “I think based on those statistics that we have a 50 percent chance of a quake in the next 20 years,” he said. While Robinson said he supports individual and community resilience ef- forts, Cascadia Prepared’s primary focus is mitigating the effects of a major earth- quake by enhancing critical infrastructure lifelines. “Our electrical systems, our transportation sys- tems, our liquid fuel deliv- ery, our communications, our water and wastewater – all those things are likely to be destroyed,” he said. “We need to get to the point where we can get those sys- tems back up in a couple weeks. But instead of a cou- ple of weeks, we’re looking at six months or a year.” In a 2013 resilience plan, OSSPAC stated that this in- frastructure failure would likely cause most business- es to move or fail if services could not be restored with- in a month, causing de- cades of economic decline. “You can be as resilient as you want personally, but if the electrical system isn’t restored for a year or six months, most of the people are going to have to move someplace else because there won’t be any jobs,” Robinson said. Despite the grim fore- cast, Robinson is trying to paint the scenario optimis- tically. “We have a motto at Cas- cadia Prepared: ‘We built it and we can fix it,’” he said. “It’s not rocket science. It’s basically developing the will, the collaboration and support that’s needed to make the investment in shoring up our infrastruc- ture.” The nonprofit has de- veloped “lifeline resilience teams” which have begun working with entities tied to major infrastructure points to establish risks specific to each area and develop readiness plans. Robinson recommends that cities have a compre- hensive analysis of their in- frastructure vulnerabilities. “The ones that are the most important are the ones that, if they go down, make it impossible to fix the others,” he said. The geography of Cot- tage Grove poses a unique challenge in this regard. The Coast Fork Willamette River meanders through the city, threatening to cut people west of the river off should the bridges fall. In a Cascadia earthquake event, the city’s water system will surely break. With this in mind, the city is courting the idea of establishing new reser- voirs. Currently, Cottage Grove maintains two res- ervoirs — and one is likely not seismically sound. The city needs redundancies. Public Works and De- velopment Director Faye Stewart thinks more reser- voirs would be a great as- set to mitigating an earth- quake event. “And it doesn’t have to be the 9,” he said, referring to earthquake magnitude. “If we’re hit with a 4, a 5 or a 6, we may suffer some pretty serious damage here. And being able to have water in multiple locations can help buy us time until we get in- frastructure fixed.” Construction on one new reservoir may start on Sunrise Ridge as soon as this fall or next spring. An- other two are early in the planning stage. “Down the road, I envi- sion seeing three new res- ervoirs in this community,” said Stewart. “Two of them on the west side of the riv- er and we’ll still use the two existing ones, but we’ll have a third one on the east side.” The redundancy of water See THREAT 11A Proud Sponsor of the Summer Reading Program PROUD TO SERVE RURAL COMMUNITIES IN LANE COUNTY SINCE 1939 CELEBRATING 80 YEARS 541-484-1151 | laneelectric.com CREATIVE CHAOS: SOMEWHERE IN TIME Show Times: September 13th, 14th, 20th, 21st show at 7:00pm September 15th and 22nd show at 2:00pm Tickets available on-line: opalcentercg.org or at The Crafty Mercantile —————:————— OPAL CENTER FOR ARTS & EDUCATION 513 E. Main St. Cottage Grove For more info, call 541-623-0513 Providing safe, reliable, and economical energy services that enhance our members' quality of life. 2775 Row River Rd, Cottage Grove 541-942-4415 • bradschevy.com Sensitive Teeth Drinking hot tea or biting into an ice cream sandwich ought to be a pleasant experience, but that’s not the case for people who suffer from sensitive teeth. Experiencing pain when eating hot or cold foods — or while brushing or fl ossing your teeth — is a common but potentially serious problem that a dentist can help you address. helps to protect the tooth’s root. Dentin is usually covered by other layers on the outside of your tooth — enamel above the gums and cementum below them —that help to keep the dentin from being exposed. Sometimes the outer layer of protection that surrounds the dentin can become damaged or wear away, which lets temperature changes or chemicals from food to touch the dentin and work their way directly to the nerve cells and roots of the tooth. Tooth sensitivity shouldn’t be ignored because it’s usually the symptom of your tooth’s structure breaking down in some way. A dentist can uncover the root cause and recommend a solution to make your life more comfortable and keep your teeth healthier. WHAT CAUSES IT? According to the American Dental Association, sensitive teeth can be caused by a variety of conditions. Cavities, or tooth decay, are among the leading Treating Sensitive Teeth causes for sensitive teeth, but it Sensitive teeth can be treated. The type of treatment will depend on could also be the result of a more what is causing the sensitivity. Your dentist may suggest one of a serious problem. variety of treatments: Fractured teeth, gum disease, Desensitizing toothpaste: This contains compounds that help block worn fi llings, an exposed tooth transmission of sensation from the tooth surface to the nerve, and root and worn tooth enamel usually requires several applications before the sensitivity is reduced. are all potential causes for that Fluoride gel: An in-offi ce technique which strengthens tooth enamel and reduces the transmission of sensations. uncomfortable, painful feeling. A CLOSER LOOK Where does the pain come from? It usually has to do with a problem in the structure of your tooth. Deep inside your tooth is a layer of material called dentin that A crown, inlay or bonding: These may be used to correct a fl aw or decay that results in sensitivity. Surgical gum graft: If gum tissue has been lost from the root, this will protect the root and reduce sensitivity. Root canal: If sensitivity is severe and persistent and cannot be treated by other means, your dentist may recommend this treatment to eliminate the problem. — American Dental Association This message is brought to you by these local sponsors: Dentistry with Family in Mind Brent Bitner, DDS C ALL U S T ODAY ! 541.942.7934 350 E. W ASHINGTON A VENUE • C OTTAGE G ROVE WWW.CGSMILES.COM
