Collaborative Planning

Deschutes Partnership

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The Deschutes Partnership:

Deschutes Land Trust

Crooked River Watershed Council

Upper Deschutes Watershed Council

Collaborates to restore habitat necessary for self - sustaining populations

Wild salmon and Steelhead Metolius River

 Whychus Creek

Lower Crooked River

Each organization has a specific role

Watershed Councils focus on riparian restoration

Fish Passage

Water Quality Monitoring

Stakeholder Engagement

The Conservancy is dedicated to restoring streamflow and improving water quality; and the Land Trust engages with private landowners to protect critical lands. Rather than competing for funding, the Deschutes Partnership members choose a collaborative path that optimizes resources and has become a respected model for partnership, enhancing the effectiveness and extent of restoration activities in the Deschutes Basin.
Deschutes Partnership

Reach Focus Areas

Whychus Creek

The Deschutes Partnership has significantly advanced the restoration of Whychus Creek. Notably, the Deschutes Land Trust's work at Camp Polk Meadow Preserve has revitalized 1.4 miles of creek habitat. The Upper Deschutes Watershed Council, in collaboration with the City of Sisters, has enhanced urban creek segments for improved fish passage and habitat. The removal of Pine Meadow Ranch Dam, part of a broader floodplain restoration effort, has been critical in extending fish access and supporting agricultural water needs. The Three Sisters Irrigation District and Deschutes River Conservancy's canal piping project conserves water for the creek, supporting migrating and native fish populations. And finally, Upper Deschutes Watershed Council's educational programs are cultivating environmental stewardship among today’s students and tomorrow’s leaders.

Crooked River

The Deschutes River Conservancy, Crooked River Watershed Council, and the Deschutes Land Trust are collaborating on the Lower Crooked River Strategic Restoration project, aiming to rejuvenate a 17-mile stretch of the Crooked River. Through a mix of instream work and riparian rehabilitation, this partnership seeks to enhance the habitat for fish and wildlife, improve water quality, and support agricultural needs, addressing the intertwined needs of the river's ecosystem and local communities

Emerging Work - Upper Deschutes

The Deschutes River Conservancy, Upper Deschutes Watershed Council, and the Deschutes Land Trust are working together in the Upper Deschutes Basin, focusing on ecological restoration. The Land Trust prioritizes the conservation of critical lands, providing a foundation for the Watershed Council's habitat restoration efforts, while the Conservancy concentrates on water conservation initiatives essential for restoring and maintaining healthy streamflows. This collaborative approach emphasizes a comprehensive response to the Deschutes River’s ecological needs.