Celebrating Twenty Years of Conservation Work in the Deschutes Basin
SUMMER 2016 VOL. 10 NO. 2 NEWSLETTER OF THE DESCHUTES RIVER CONSERVANCY A MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, TOD HEISLER Artist: Susan Luckey Higdon PHOTO: DRC STAFF Celebrating Twenty Years of Conservation Work in the Deschutes Basin Twenty years ago, a small group of District, flows have increased signifi- irrigation purposes, and upstream people came together with a vision cantly below the district’s pumps. from irrigation diversions, so the of leaving our rivers and streams tools we have used in the past will better than they found them. Bend While these reaches have vastly not be enough to solve this complex was on the precipice of a population improved, we still have work to do. and far-reaching problem. boom, and the Deschutes River and Work like this is only possible The solution to restoring the Upper its tributaries had already been over- through building trust and strong allocated for nearly 100 years. Deschutes River lies in the way we relationships. Working with our use and manage water in Central Since 1996, the Deschutes River partners, the DRC has used flow Oregon. Our century old system will Conservancy has brought stakehold- restoration tools such as piping and not meet the changing demands for ers together across the basin to lining canals, water rights leasing, water in our basin. Cities with grow- restore 200 cubic feet per second and instream transfers to make real ing populations are challenged to (cfs) to our rivers. progress in these reaches. meet future water needs. Increased pressure from drought and litigation What does that look like? 20 years After 20 years, an area that has seen practically no restoration is the have created insecurity for commer- ago, Whychus Creek ran dry two out cial farmers who depend on unreli- of every three summers.
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