Join us as we delve into the intersectional intricacies of the United States’ most famous wildlife conservation law and Central Oregon’s prevailing framework for (theoretically) balancing the needs of water users and threatened species to better understand a path toward meaningful steelhead habitat restoration and population recovery in the Upper Deschutes Basin.

In less than a century, the impacts of irrigation, hydropower projects, and other human activities throughout the Deschutes Basin have disrupted the natural water systems and environmental conditions that sustained abundant steelhead populations for millennia.

In order to take steps toward habitat recovery, it is important to understand how we’ve fundamentally changed these waterways.

Central Oregon’s unique spirit captivates the hearts and minds of those who know it well. From Cascade peaks to high desert horizons, there’s a lot to appreciate and explore!

At the places where rivers begin and end, we find the ephemeral streams and tributaries that connect a diverse network of waterways.

No more excuses. It’s time for the County to require Thornburgh Resort to make good on its promises to mitigate for its effects on fish and wildlife.

Three Sisters Irrigation District (TSID) has piped most of its canals and possesses the modernized infrastructure needed to manage water with control and precision.

Thirty years ago, when Paul was living at this very ranch, he heard about a proposal to pipe Whychus Creek and clear-cut its banks.