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DRC News & Resources

2019 RiverFeast Live Auction Sneak Peek!

Purchase Tickets Live Auction Preview The Live Auction at RiverFeast benefits the Deschutes River Conservancy's mission to restore streamflow and improve water quality in the Deschutes Basin. 1 – Romantic Getaway to Tuscany for Two [siteorigin_widget class="SiteOrigin_Widget_Image_Widget"][/siteorigin_widget] Indulge in...

Scientist, River Guide and Prize-Winning Author to Speak in Bend

Rebecca Lawton will speak at Dudley’s Bookshop Café on April 6th to promote her new book, The Oasis This Time: Living and Dying with Water in the West Dudley’s Bookshop Café and the Deschutes River Conservancy welcome author Rebecca Lawton...

Choose Your Own Adventure Raffle at RiverFeast

Only 100 tickets will be sold for this exciting raffle at RiverFeast this year. One lucky winner will choose from one of these three amazing adventures. Which would you choose? Buy your tickets today! Begin your adventure near Golden, B.C....

Support the DRC by Volunteering for the Deschutes Dash!

The Deschutes River Conservancy is this year's beneficiary of the Deschutes Dash Multi-Sport Event on July 14th. Racers will have the option to make a donation when signing up and part of the proceeds from the race will benefit the DRC's mission...

John Kitzhaber

Building Community from Conflict – By John Kitzhaber, M.D.

"Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world's great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of those rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the...

Fundraiser for DRC at Monkless Belgian Ales Thursday June 13

$1 From Every Pour Goes to the DRC This Thursday! Monkless Belgian Ales is supporting the DRC through sales of their tart & refreshing summer ale, Samaritans Saison, Thursday, June 13th. Join the staff of the DRC and the generous brewers...

Understanding the Deschutes River Dams – Part One

It’s dawn. You rhythmically dip your paddle, pull, then glide east across the surface of Wickiup Reservoir. You’re alone in your canoe and for all you can tell you’re the first human to ever cross this stretch of water. You...

What Makes the Deschutes Tick?

Things have been heating up in Bend and the summer tourist season seems to be in full swing. Last weekend, I decided to head up to Wickiup Reservoir to get away from the crowds and cool down with a swim...

Rain, Snow and River Flows

If you’re like me, the transition to summer over the past month has been a welcome one! In Oregon, summer not only means longer, warmer days but also less wet stuff falling from the sky. Oddly though, summer also brings...

Restoring Whychus Creek

Restoring Flows Since the early 1900s, Whychus Creek ran dry in two out of every three years due to irrigation diversions. Through a combination of water conservation (i.e. piping) and both permanent and temporary water transfers, the creek is now...

McKay Creek Water Rights Switch Summer 2018 Project Update

McKay Creek flows 37 miles from its headwaters in the Ochoco National Forest through private agricultural lands and joins the Crooked River just northwest of the City of Prineville in Crook County. Due in part to irrigation diversions, streamflows are...

The state of Oregon has released its 2017 Integrated Water Resources Strategy

Artwork by Susan Luckey Higdon The state of Oregon has released its 2017 Integrated Water Resources Strategy (IWRS). The purpose of the strategy is to “bring various sectors and interests together to work toward the common purpose of maintaining healthy...

Upper Deschutes Basin Study Summer 2018 Update

The Upper Deschutes River Basin Study, a 3-year study focused on meeting water needs in our basin, will be complete in September 2018. The study identifies water needs for rivers, agriculture and growing communities in Central Oregon, and evaluates tools...

Upper Deschutes Basin Study

How it all started Over 100 years ago, federal and state policies encouraged the settlement of the high desert by facilitating access to land and irrigation water. In many cases, the state gave out more water rights than existed in...

Open Houses for Upper Deschutes River Basin Study

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contacts: Mike Relf, Bureau of Reclamation, bor-pnr-udbasinstudy@usbr.gov, 208-378-5175 Craig Horrell, Deschutes Basin Board of Control, chorrell@coid.org, 541-548-6047 Kate Fitzpatrick, Deschutes River Conservancy, kate@deschutesriver.org, 541-382-4077 Open Houses for Upper Deschutes River Basin Study Study focuses...

Act Now to Save the Deschutes

The Deschutes is a natural jewel in the heart of our community. But many of us are unaware that the river upstream of Bend is in big trouble. Its ecology is at a tipping point and showing steep declines in...

Change the Story

The Deschutes River runs through the heart of Central Oregon. For the past century, the river has been managed to serve irrigation needs. This has had a negative impact on flows and the health of the river. Together with our...

Change the Story for the Deschutes – Deschutes Brewery Story

The Deschutes River winds magnificently through Central Oregon bringing life to our arid landscape. For decades this river has been managed for irrigation purposes and has suffered as a result. It's time to change the story of the Deschutes River...

Water Leasing Program supporting the Middle Deschutes River Receives 10-Year Pledge of Support

The Deschutes River Joins a List of U.S. Rivers to Receive Funding through Intel’s Commitment to Restore 100% of Global Water Use by 2025 The Deschutes River Conservancy’s (DRC) Water Leasing Program has just secured funding from Intel Corporation that...

RiverFeast Announces New Title Sponsorship from Brooks Resources

Brooks Resources proudly presents the 12th Annual RiverFeast Dinner & Auction to benefit the Deschutes River Conservancy on Saturday, May 11th at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Oregon’s beautiful event space. The company is celebrating its 50th anniversary this...

The Deschutes River Conservancy Welcomes a New Executive Director, Ron Nelson

The Deschutes River Conservancy's (DRC) Board of Directors and staff are welcoming our new Executive Director, Ron Nelson, to the organization in January 2019. Nelson succeeds long-time director, Tod Heisler, who is leaving to pursue new opportunities in conservation. Under...

Summer 2018 Newsletter and 2017 Annual Report

Includes the 2017 Flow Restoration Report, Project Updates on the Basin Study and McKay Creek, A Ten-Year Look at Restoration in Whychus Creek, and the Introduction or the DRC's New Blog Series. View the 2017 Annual Report

Winter 2018 Newsletter

View the 2018 Winter DRC RiverVoice (PDF)

2016 Annual Report

Includes the 2016 Flow Restoration Report, Tools to Create A Healthy Deschutes, McKay Creek's Missing Link, and a Message from DRC Executive Director, Tod Heisler. View the 2016 Annual Report