A sewage spill has prompted the Oregon Health Authority to issue an alert for Cannon Beach at Gower Creek.
OHA says the spill could raise the risk of exposure to fecal bacteria, but in the absence of test results confirming the presence of bacteria in the Gower Creek outfall, the agency has issued an alert rather than a formal beach advisory.
Even so, because of the potential health risk due to the presence of sewage, OHA's Oregon Beach Monitoring Program is encouraging visitors to the Gower Creek area of Cannon Beach to take precautions.
People should avoid wading in nearby creeks, pools of water on the beach, or in discolored water, and stay clear of water runoff flowing into the ocean.
In a news release, OHA said the City of Cannon Beach reports the spill has been cleaned up and samples have been taken for fecal bacteria testing to confirm the clean-up was successful.