Dam hazard zone

Newport’s two dams on its Big Creek Reservoir are rated as the highest hazard dams in the state of Oregon, according to Del Lockwood, emergency preparedness coordinator for the city of Newport. He said these signs were placed along roads that access Big Creek in an effort to raise awareness among residents and visitors. “We’re educating the public about that and encouraging people to know how to evacuate in case of a large earthquake or a dam failure.” The city is working with state and federal funding to replace the dams, and information about this project can be found online at SaveOurSupplyNewport.com (Photos by Steve Card)