in tourism over this period, reflects an increase in utilization of the Yaquina Estuary through 
recreational boating, recreational fishing, and utilization of bay-side restaurants and facilities. 
The Yaquina watershed is heavily forested with deciduous, evergreen and shrub land use 
classes constituting 85% of the watershed (Lee et al., 2006 based on NOAA 2001 C-CAP data 
( www.csc.noaa.gov/crs/lca/ccap.html )). Grasslands constitute 6% of the watershed while high 
and low intensity development combined only constitute 0.5% of the watershed. While 
developed areas constitute a small percentage of the watershed, they are increasing with the high 
residential and low residential land use classes increasing by 4.5% and 6.8%, respectively, from 
1995 to 2001. Reflecting the low extent of development, the percent impervious surface is only 
2.4% (Lee et al., 2006). As is typical of coastal watersheds in the PNW, the Yaquina watershed 
is “rugged” with a median slope of 29.7 percent (16.5 degrees). 
14 
