Finish 2022 By Supporting DRA Science And The River You Love
If you want to make a difference in the water quality issues facing the lower Deschutes River, make an end-of-the-year donation to the Deschutes River Alliance.
Nearly a decade ago, after a group of concerned guides and anglers experienced extreme changes on the lower Deschutes River they formed the Deschutes River Alliance. Led by the best available science the DRA has advocated for the river. The DRA continues to be the only organization advocating for improved water quality on the lower Deschutes River.
In the past year, that advocacy has included being a voice for protecting aquatic life across the state of Oregon via DEQ's aquatic life rulemaking process and pressuring the Oregon Environmental Quality Commission to take on action on the issues facing the lower Deschutes River. You can read more about those efforts in our year-end recap.
DRA is the only organization raising the alarm about the pH levels in the lower Deschutes River. Our 2022 data shows that yet again the levels have been dangerously high and in violation of the standards set by the state.
In addition, the DRA is the only NGO advocating for cooler water in the river to protect spring Chinook Salmon. The current operations of the Pelton Round Butte Hydroelectric project and the resulting temperature profile creates a lethal environment for this important wild fish.
DRA is expanding our data collection in 2023. We are raising $80,000 for the equipment, software, and support to add another monitoring station in Maupin and upgrade all our stations to allow for the real-time transmission of water quality data to our website.
The additional monitoring station and real-time data will also help us highlight the ongoing water quality issues, create more frequent reports on the river's health, and expand our comprehensive annual water quality report. Next spring when you get ready to head out for a day of fishing you will be able to get information about the river from that day – water temperature and fishing reports will give you an edge when choosing which flies to bring.
To those who have already donated to the DRA this year, we say "Thank You!" If you haven't we encourage you to donate to the DRA as we continue to advocate for cooler, cleaner H2O for the lower Deschutes River.
Deschutes River Alliance: Cooler, cleaner H2O for the lower Deschutes River.
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