Let’s be real, it can be hard to explain to those not in the know about what’s wrong with the lower Deschutes. The Last 100 does the job as well as it can be done—here’s where to see and hear about the Selective Water Withdrawal Tower, and how its operation negatively affects water quality on the lower river. It’s also a succinct overview of the ways in which PGE continues to violate the public trust with status quo operations of its failing tower.

“For the first time in a while, I was able to be fully present, celebrating with one of my closest friends, encountering a beautiful wild steelhead, on my favorite river in the world.”

But through it all, the azure waters (or what we hope one day soon will return to that brilliant shade of blue) of the Deschutes keep flowing—carving its relentless path to the Columbia. Below the water’s surface the first steelhead of the season are making their way upstream to complete a journey we can all admire. And every once in a while, one of those fish will rise and take my waking muddler. In those rare, hard-earned moments in the canyon, there is nowhere on earth I’d rather be.

“Without the Deschutes, we’re just another mail order fly shop.”

The dams are damaging our river. I don’t know how you get around that. The state of Oregon can help by resolving those issues with the dams. I’m calling on Gov. Kotek’s office to push state agencies to fix this problem.” -Maupin Mayor Carol Beatty

Event prep begins the day that the previous year’s event ends when we set a date and book our vendors, and the summer is spent concocting the dream lineup of exclusive and desirable packages. However, no matter how much advanced coordination the team does, the last two months are always full of surprises…

The end of 2024 marks the 15th anniversary of the operation of Portland General Electric’s Selective Water Withdrawal Tower. The DRA, its board, staff and supporters like you have spent the bulk of those years contributing in myriad ways to tracking how the Tower’s operation has fallen far short of what was promised by PGE.

On the lower Deschutes River, it’s too easy being green: in 2024, at the DRA’s water quality monitoring station near Maupin, 225 out of 229 days violated the pH standard, a factor in the proliferation of the kind of snot-on-the-rocks algae growth depicted above. Photo courtesy of USGS.

“None of this important work could happen without the steadfast support from each of you. Your letters, emails, and postcards create a significant impact, fueling our advocacy efforts.”

Looking ahead, the sondes will return to us in time for the next monitoring season, freshly calibrated and ready for redeployment in the spring. Until then, our team will continue to advocate for the Deschutes River’s well-being and prepare for the upcoming monitoring season. As always, we are deeply grateful to our supporters, donors, and partners. Your dedication and generosity make it possible for us to continue this vital work.

Trout Whisperers will brighten your winter solstice.

Don’t let the onslaught of atmospheric rivers and daylight hours of nearly arctic brevity dampen your spirit. Start by putting something to really look forward to on your calendar: Trout Whisperers: Legends of Conservation will happen December 17th at Steeplejack Brewing. The panelists and moderator for this winter solstice version of Trout Whisperers represent a half-century of angling and conservation passion, experience and wisdom:

If some fish that bypass Lake Billy Chinook and the SWW are returning in higher numbers, what role does the Tower have in the future of fish reintroduction?

A look inside the rigorous protocols the DRA’s science team adheres to in sampling aquatic insects.

Dismal as they are, the sockeye and spring Chinook numbers are well within the range of poor returns that have plagued the reintroduction effort from the start. From 2012 to 2023,  the average across all years for spring Chinook: 36: for steelhead: 73: for sockeye: 46. 

On a magical autumn morning twenty some years ago, Joel La Follette was inspired to name some things that had yet to be named. He’d just landed his second Deschutes River steelhead, and was watching the sun clear the canyon rim, relishing and replaying the memory of the moment just past, of the mist that has settled over the water, how that steelhead’s incessant leaping had displaced the wisps of vapor with each jump, as if the battle was the highlight of some elaborately staged magic show, complete with fog machines and fans.

Tuesday, October 15th marked the beginning of steelhead and salmon spawning season in the lower Deschutes. But the river started off this vital period too warm for spawning fish.

In the context of his long tenure on the river, the reality that the lower Deschutes is too often too warm–not because of climate change, but because of poor management of the dam complex upstream– seems to strike Staples as absurd. “We spent 20 years planting trees on this river, why?” he says, harkening back to the 1980’s campaign to restore the river’s riparian zone. “To cool it down.” 

Contrary to her initial misgivings, Amy has seen a massive upside to spending too much time indoors at The Deschutes Angler. “It’s where I meet all kinds of people I probably wouldn’t have,” she says. “On the river, you’re trying to avoid other people. And here of course we try to make you feel welcome.”