About the Deschutes River Conservancy

In the early 1990's, a small group of dedicated individuals envisioned an organization unlike any other in Central Oregon. They imagined every stakeholder group in the Deschutes Basin—farming, recreation, ranching, conservation, logging, tribal communities and government—working successfully on market-based solutions to restore the Deschutes River. A few years later, the founders’ vision became a reality.

The Deschutes River Conservancy (DRC) is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation founded in 1996 by the Environmental Defense, the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation and local irrigation districts. Our mission is to restore streamflow and improve water quality in the Deschutes Basin.

Over the course of the past twelve years, we have built a strong foundation for collaborative work in the Deschutes Basin. To date, the DRC’s programs have restored 160 cubic feet per second (cfs) to the Deschutes River and its tributaries—the equivalent of six Olympic-size swimming pools pouring into these rivers every hour.

As a nationally recognized leader in river restoration, the DRC continues to attract those who share its founders’ belief that people can work together for the good of all river users.

The Problems We Are Addressing

Settlers arriving in Central Oregon in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s were enticed by the abundant rivers and other natural resources in the region. Before long, however, virtually all of the Deschutes River was diverted for the growing number of families, livestock and agriculture. Unfortunately, the early settlers in this region did not consider the ecological consequences of such actions. Today, local irrigators are aware of the serious problems caused by seasonal disruptions of flow, and are partnering with the DRC to create viable solutions.

The historic seasonal disruptions of streamflow in the Deschutes River and its tributaries have contributed to a decline in the overall health of the rivers including degraded habitat for fish and wildlife and poor water quality.