This article was published on: 03/31/12 4:37 PM
The Deschutes Brewery has partnered with the Deschutes River Conservancy (DRC) to annually restore 1 billion gallons of water to the Deschutes River beginning this summer. Yearly contributions to the DRC’s water leasing program will allow the Brewery to offset more than 14 times their total water requirements, including their bottling facility, brew pubs, supply chain, hops growers and grain growers!
“We’ve always been avid supporters of the DRC and its mission,” said Michael LaLonde, chief operating officer for Deschutes Brewery and a board member of the DRC. “By creating this new partnership, we are able to give back to the river in a significant way, preserving the lifeline of the Central Oregon region.”
Significant is right. The Deschutes Brewery’s contribution is the largest private local donation for the Deschutes River leasing program, making up nearly 7% of the restored flows to the Middle Deschutes. Historically, this section of the river has suffered from low streamflows and degraded habitat. With the Deschutes Brewery’s contribution, the DRC is even closer to meeting our streamflow goal, which benefits not only fish and wildlife, but our whole community!