zibethicus ), and nutria ( Myocastor coypus), particularly in low-salinity tidal marshes (USFWS, 
1968). River otter hunt for fish in tidal channels, raccoons forage for molluscs and crustaceans 
on tide flats, whereas muskrats and nutria feed on marsh plants (Howerton, 1984). Over 70 other 
mammals are reported from Lincoln County watersheds, many of which use wetland and 
terrestrial habitats bordering the estuary (National Wildlife Federation eNature ZipGuides 
website: http://www.enature.com/zipguides/). 
2.3 Land Use and History of Anthropogenic Modifications 
The Yaquina watershed covers an area of 650 km , tapering towards the mouth of the 
Yaquina Estuary but extending about 35 km inland. The watershed contains the city of Toledo, 
however, most of the city of Newport with the exception of the “Bay Front” lies outside of the 
watershed boundaries (Figure 2.2). The total population in the Yaquina watershed in 2000 was 
approximately 7970 or 12.3 persons per km" (source: Lee et al., 2006). The population density 
in the Yaquina watershed is similar to other PNW estuarine watersheds (mean =15 persons per 
km 2 , Lee et al., 2006), and is much lower than the national average for the coastal region of the 
United States (mean =116 persons per km ; Crossett, et al., 2004). The population trend in the 
Yaquina watershed differs from many coastal watersheds in the United States in that the 
population in the Yaquina watershed declined by 4.8% from 1990 to 2000. Population changes 
during the interval of 1980 to 2000 in PNW coastal watersheds (excluding Puget Sound and 
Columbia River) are among some of the lowest in the United States (Crossett, et al., 2004). 
Utilization of the Yaquina Bay Front increases substantially with the influx of tourists during the 
summer. 
Historical population data on a watershed basis are not available before 1990 because the 
census block data are not available in a GIS format to allow proration of the population by 
watershed boundaries. However, it is possible to track the historical population changes in the 
cities of Newport and Toledo (Figure 2.5). The major population center in the Yaquina 
watershed is the city of Toledo, which accounted for 44% of the population in the watershed in 
2000. Toledo has experienced low growth, increasing by 12% from 1960 to 2005. In contrast, 
Newport has grown steadily, increasing by 84% from 1960 to 2005. While most of the city of 
Newport lies outside of the Yaquina watershed, the increase in population, as well as an increase 
' f 
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