Beginning this winter, the Deschutes River will flow at a minimum of 100 cubic feet per second (cfs) from September 16th to March 30th. The river community is celebrating the addition of this water to…
Deschutes River Conservancy News
Fish Salvage on the Deschutes River
Community members gathered in waders, boots and rain jackets at Lava Island Falls last week to rescue thousands of fish in what’s becoming an annual event. Each fall, streamflow in the Upper Deschutes from Wickiup…
Stand together for the Deschutes River
Perspective on U.S. District Court hearing on the Oregon spotted frog litigation from DRC Executive Director, Tod Heisler As I scanned the overflowing courtroom for an empty seat at last Tuesday’s Oregon spotted frog hearing, I encountered…
What you need to know about the Deschutes
The Deschutes River needs our help. The Deschutes River, though beautiful, has some very serious problems. In many years, flows in the Deschutes below the reservoir can drop by as much as 98% from summer…
A tale of two droughts: 1977 & 2015
Let me paint a picture of the summer of 1977 in Sisters, Oregon. The population was less than 700 people, many of whom were farmers. A drought had devastated the snowpack in the Cascades,…
We have snow! Is the drought over?
The current water report from Oregon Water Resources Department Region Manager, Kyle Gorman The Water Year so far has been a remarkable improvement from last year. Although, the reservoirs are still showing some lingering effects…
Restoring the Deschutes River, preserving the Oregon spotted frog
We all know that rivers need water. Here, in the Deschutes Basin, we are fortunate to have an abundant supply of water from an extraordinary spring-fed river, but today the use of that water is…
Some like it hot – but not fish
July was hot; the hottest month on record according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Combine that with an unusually warm winter, dismally low snowpack and drought declaration in 90% of Oregon and…
Water conservation for the future
With drought declarations now in the majority of Oregon’s 36 counties, water is top of mind. Here in the Deschutes Basin, our situation is serious, but not as grim as in some places. We benefit from…