title: Anomalous Near-Surface Low-Salinity Pulses off the Central Oregon Coast.
abstract: From mid-May to August 2011, extreme runoff in the Columbia River ranged from 14,000 to over 17,000 m(3)/s, more than two standard deviations above the mean for this period. The extreme runoff was the direct result of both melting of anomalously high snowpack and rainfall associated with the 2010-2011 La Niña. The effects of this increased freshwater discharge were observed off Newport, Oregon, 180 km south of the Columbia River mouth. Salinity values as low as 22, nine standard deviations below the climatological value for this period, were registered at the mid-shelf. Using a network of ocean observing sensors and platforms, it was possible to capture the onshore advection of the Columbia River plume from the mid-shelf, 20 km offshore, to the coast and eventually into Yaquina Bay (Newport) during a sustained wind reversal event. Increased freshwater delivery can influence coastal ocean ecosystems and delivery of offshore, river-influenced water may influence estuarine biogeochemistry.
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 71 Dudley Road New Brunswick, NJ 08901.
authors.forename: Piero L F
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Mazzini
authors.affiliation: College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences Oregon State University, 104 CEOAS Administration Building, 101 SW 26th St, Corvallis, OR 97331, United States.
authors.forename: Craig M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Risien
authors.affiliation: College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences Oregon State University, 104 CEOAS Administration Building, 101 SW 26th St, Corvallis, OR 97331, United States.
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Barth
authors.affiliation: College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences Oregon State University, 104 CEOAS Administration Building, 101 SW 26th St, Corvallis, OR 97331, United States.
authors.forename: Stephen D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Pierce
authors.affiliation: College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences Oregon State University, 104 CEOAS Administration Building, 101 SW 26th St, Corvallis, OR 97331, United States.
authors.forename: Anatoli
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Erofeev
authors.affiliation: College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences Oregon State University, 104 CEOAS Administration Building, 101 SW 26th St, Corvallis, OR 97331, United States.
authors.forename: Edward P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Dever
authors.affiliation: College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences Oregon State University, 104 CEOAS Administration Building, 101 SW 26th St, Corvallis, OR 97331, United States.
authors.forename: P Michael
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Kosro
authors.affiliation: College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences Oregon State University, 104 CEOAS Administration Building, 101 SW 26th St, Corvallis, OR 97331, United States.
authors.forename: Murray D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Levine
authors.affiliation: College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences Oregon State University, 104 CEOAS Administration Building, 101 SW 26th St, Corvallis, OR 97331, United States.
authors.forename: R Kipp
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Shearman
authors.affiliation: College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences Oregon State University, 104 CEOAS Administration Building, 101 SW 26th St, Corvallis, OR 97331, United States.
authors.forename: Michael F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Vardaro