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Help Us Raise the Deschutes
Our Rivers Need Help
Be Part of the Solution
NEW! Learn more about the Deschutes River Basin at our Raise the Deschutes Seminar Series
Get to know the
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why do our rivers need help?Water in the Deschutes Basin has been over-allocated since the early 1900s, causing many stream reaches to suffer from unnaturally high and low flows at different times of the year. These altered flows have resulted in poor water quality, degraded habitat for fish and wildlife, fish mortality, and streambank erosion.
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where does our water come from?Snowpack melt-off is the largest contributor to streamflow; it soaks into the ground to recharge the groundwater aquifer.
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Get to know the
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why do our rivers need help?Water in the Deschutes Basin has been over-allocated since the early 1900s, causing many stream reaches to suffer from unnaturally high and low flows at different times of the year. These altered flows have resulted in poor water quality, degraded habitat for fish and wildlife, fish mortality, and streambank erosion.
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where does our water come from?Snowpack melt-off is the largest contributor to streamflow; it soaks into the ground to recharge the groundwater aquifer.
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WHERE DOES THE WATER GO?Nearly 90% of the streamflow from the Deschutes River and its tributaries is typically diverted through irrigation canals during the irrigation season (April - October).
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UNDERSTANDING WATER RIGHTSUnder Oregon law, all water is publicly owned and a water right is needed to use water from any source. Irrigators with the oldest water rights are the last to be shut off in times of low streamflows. This creates inequity between senior (older rights) and junior (younger rights), especially in dry years.
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HOW CENTRAL OREGON'S VOLCANIC GEOLOGY PLAYS A ROLEIn the Deschutes River Basin, volcanic geology controls everything from channel shape to water temperature to summer flow levels.
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WHAT CAN WE DO?Partners are working in the basin to secure sufficient water supply to meet current and future water needs for rivers, agriculture, and cities. There's a lot of work to do, but if we work together, we can create a more resilient future for Central Oregon's rivers and streams.
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WHERE DOES THE WATER GO?Nearly 90% of the streamflow from the Deschutes River and its tributaries is typically diverted through irrigation canals during the irrigation season (April - October).
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UNDERSTANDING WATER RIGHTSUnder Oregon law, all water is publicly owned and a water right is needed to use water from any source. Irrigators with the oldest water rights are the last to be shut off in times of low streamflows. This creates inequity between senior (older rights) and junior (younger rights), especially in dry years.
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HOW CENTRAL OREGON'S VOLCANIC GEOLOGY PLAYS A ROLEIn the Deschutes River Basin, volcanic geology controls everything from channel shape to water temperature to summer flow levels.
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WHAT CAN WE DO?Partners are working in the basin to secure sufficient water supply to meet current and future water needs for rivers, agriculture, and cities. There's a lot of work to do, but if we work together, we can create a more resilient future for Central Oregon's rivers and streams.
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