Deschutes RiverFeast
2024-05-04 17:00 - 20:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 61980 Skyline Ranch Road, Bend, OR, United States
Join us for a night dedicated to the conservation and restoration of the majestic Deschutes River. The Deschutes River Conservancy’s annual River Feast Dinner and Auction on May 4th will showcase an evening of gourmet dining, engaging conversation, and exciting silent and live auctions; all in support of the Deschutes River. Secure your ticket today for a memorable night that contributes to a thriving river ecosystem for future generations.
Interested in buying a full table? Simply add 8 seats and we will set aside a table just for you and your friends! Contact rebekah@deschutesriver.org with questions.
Get tickets here!

Discover Fish Migration and Conservation Efforts: A Guided Tour of Pelton Round Butte
2024-06-06 14:00 - 16:00 | Round Butte Overlook Park, From Madras: Jct. of Belmont Lane & Hwy. 97, travel west on Belmont Lane for 6.8 miles to Mountain View Drive, turn south onto Mountain View Drive for 1.7 miles to access road and sign to Round Butte Overlook Park. Turn west onto signed access road for 0.8 mile to Round Butte Overlook Park., OR, United States
Come tour the Pelton Round Butte Fish Passage and Hatchery Facilities On this tour you’ll get to see juvenile steelhead making their way downstream to the ocean, and adult Chinook that have recently returned to the hatchery. Come learn about collaborative efforts to reintroduce anadromous fish to the upper basin and restore the habitat that their survival depends upon.
Tour Leaders:
– Bobby Brunoe, CEO & Secretary/Treasurer of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs and the DRC Board Chair
– Megan Hill, Hydro Environmental Manager, Portland General Electric
Space is limited to 50 tickets
GET TICKETS

City Club: How Wildfire Decisions are Made
2024-06-20 11:30 - 13:00 | Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 61980 Skyline Ranch Road, Bend, OR, United States
The focus of this forum is to discuss how decisions are made to fight a wildfire when they start. Particularly, how decisions differ based on the area and/or type of land where they start: wilderness, urban interface, grasslands and tribal lands.

What agencies are involved and how do they coordinate?
What are decision-making points for fire managers?
Where does funding come from?
Why do some fires receive massive resources and others do not?

Speakers:

Kevin Moriarty, Deschutes County Forester
Shawn Jaca, Central Oregon Fire Management, US Forest Service
Trey Leonard, Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs
James Osborne, Central Oregon Fire Management, BLM

Moderated by: Jessica Neujahr, Oregon Dept of Forestry
A feature story on the topic will appear in the June 16 issue of The Bulletin.
REGISTER HERE

River to Fields: Explore How Irrigation Affects Our Landscape
2024-07-24 15:00 - 17:00 | Pioneer Park, Northwest Wall Street, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Tour the Irrigation Diversions Along the Upper/Middle Deschutes River.
Learn where the water goes, how it’s used on the land, and what happens downstream. Get an on-the-ground look at local water management and the related environmental impact. Great for anyone interested in water conservation and river health in the Deschutes Basin.
The tour starts at Pioneer Park and will move to the point of diversion (across from Fyre of Bend) before ending at Sawyer Park. Drinks will be provided after the tour at the park.
Tour Leaders:

Josh Bailey, General Manager, North Unit Irrigation District
Baxter Davies, Operations Manager, Central Oregon Irrigation District
Jeremy Giffin, Watermaster for Central Oregon, Oregon Water Resources Department

This event is free, but please only register if you are sure you’re planning to come.
We encourage carpooling as parking will be limited near the irrigation diversion.
REGISTER HERE!

2024 Annual Deschutes River Cleanup
2024-07-27 09:00 - 14:00 | Farewell Bend Park, 1000 SW Reed Market Road, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
The Upper Deschutes Watershed Council is hosting the 28th annual Deschutes River Cleanup! Cleanup activities will take place at six different sites on the Deschutes River where volunteers will help pull invasive weeds and remove litter from the river and its streambanks. The cleanup sites are Farewell Bend Park, First Street Trail, La Pine State Park, Riverbend Park, Sunriver, and Tumalo State Park.
You will register for a specific site when you sign up. While much of the work will take place along the streambanks, we are excited to once again have several scuba divers from Central Oregon Diving and Deschutes County Search and Rescue join us this year! We are seeking fifty paddlers to support our divers on the water in the Old Mill District during the cleanup.
One week prior to the event, you will receive an email with specific site details and meeting logistics. On the morning of the cleanup, you will meet your volunteer host at 9:00 am at the site you selected. Please double-check your email to make sure you are going to the correct cleanup location. We encourage all volunteers to come prepared with sturdy shoes, a hat and sun protection, gloves, a water bottle, and snacks.
For all volunteers who register for Farewell Bend and Riverbend Park, please meet your site host at the Farewell Bend shelter at 9:00 am. There will be a brief introduction and thank you to partners and sponsors prior to cleanup activities. If you registered as a paddler, you will be partnered with a scuba diver to assist them on the water. You must bring a whistle, PFD, and a throwable safety device in order to participate on the water.
Thank you to our fabulous event sponsors: Bend Park and Recreation District, Car Stickers, The City of Bend, Confluence Fly Shop, Luno, Mt. Bachelor/Sun Country Tours, Qorvo, REI, SOLV Energy, Tumalo Creek, and Visit Bend!
The volunteer appreciation celebration will take place near Confluence Fly Shop in the afternoon following the cleanup from 3:00 – 5:00 pm. Wrap-up activities will include volunteer acknowledgment, thank you to sponsors, door prize giveaways, beverages, and food. What a wonderful way to celebrate a day of hard work and active stewardship!
The Deschutes River Cleanup is an opportunity for us to come together to steward the Deschutes River and its riparian areas. Recreation in and around the Deschutes River has led to significant impacts to the health of the river and in order to keep our river beautiful and protect water quality for fish and wildlife, the Watershed Council coordinates the Deschutes River Cleanup every year. Thank you for your support as a river steward!
REGISTER HERE

Stream Sampling on Whychus Creek
2024-08-15 08:30 - 16:00, 2024-08-16 08:30 - 16:00 | Creekside City Park, Sisters, OR, 97759, United States
Sampling aquatic insects, including mayflies and stoneflies, provides important insights into the health of Whychus Creek. Volunteers meet at Creekside Park in Sisters for a sampling training, then, in teams of two to four, use nets to collect aquatic insect samples from the stream at sites along Whychus. This event is a great opportunity to learn about habitat restoration on Whychus Creek for salmon and steelhead, spend a day along less-visited reaches of the creek, and contribute to knowledge about how restoration actions are changing stream conditions.
UDWC will host our 14th annual Stream Sampling on Whychus Creek event on August 15th and 16th, 2024! This will be our 14th consecutive year collecting aquatic insect (macroinvertebrate) samples to learn about how physical habitat conditions for native trout and salmon and other aquatic organisms are changing alongside stream flow and stream habitat restoration work by UDWC and our partners.
2024 sample collection will focus on the following reaches of Whychus Creek:

Recently restored reaches at Deschutes Land Trust’s Rimrock Ranch Preserve, and at Creekside Park in Sisters;
Older restoration sites including Whychus Canyon Preserve Phase 1, Camp Polk Meadow Preserve upstream reaches, and Whychus Floodplain on National Forest lands upstream of Sisters);
Samples from unrestored, “control” reaches at Whychus Canyon Preserve; and
Samples from Alder Springs and upstream of USFS Road 6360, both affected by stream flow restoration but where no habitat restoration has occurred.

We will collect 18 samples over two days with restoration partners and community volunteers, working in teams of 2-4. You can register for one day or both at the links below:
Thursday, August 15th REGISTER
Friday, August 16th REGISTER

WaterWatch Presents an Evening with Angler and Author Steve Duda
2024-09-12 18:30 - 19:30 | Roundabout Books, 900 Northwest Mount Washington Drive #110, Bend, OR, 97703, United States
Join WaterWatch for a special evening at Roundabout Books in Bend on Thursday, September 12th at 6:30pm as we welcome angler, author, and musician Steve Duda of Patagonia as he discusses fishing, writing, and reads selections from his new book River Songs: Moments of Wild Wonder in Fly Fishing. WaterWatch development officer and fellow angler Jesse Robbins will be host to this fun free event and moderate the discussion with Steve.

Indigenous Perspectives of Earth, Water and Sky - Featuring Dr. Nour E. Rawafi
2024-09-19 12:00 - 13:00 | 375 SW Powerhouse Dr Suite 100, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Dr. Nour E. Rawafi is an astrophysicist and a Principal Professional Staff member at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL). Dr. Rawafi is the project scientist of NASA’s Parker Solar Probe mission, launched on August 12, 2018, which is the record holder of the closest human-made object to a star (i.e., the Sun) and the fastest spacecraft. Parker will get as close as 3.8 million miles from the solar surface As part of the Parker Solar Probe team, Dr. Rawafi received the NASA Silver Achievement Medal Award, and the AAS Neil Armstrong Award.

Livable Future Forum
2024-10-03 19:00 - 21:00, 2024-10-23 19:00 - 21:00, 2024-11-13 19:00 - 21:00 | Open Space Event Studios, 220 NE Lafayette Ave, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
How do we meet our community’s needs without compromising the environment and all that makes Central Oregon so incredible?
Through our Livable Future Forum, we’ll explore that question and more as LandWatch program directors chat with knowledgeable local leaders about land use and livability topics. From the fascinating life and times of mule deer to the reality of farming in the high desert to the creative work of developing Complete Communities, you’ll gain new insight into the many ways land use decision making is foundational to life in our region — and learn how you can participate in shaping a more sustainable and equitable future for Central Oregon.
Events will be on Oct. 3, Oct 23, and Nov. 13. All events will start at 7 pm and take place at Open Space Event Studios in the Bend Central District.
Each event in this three-part series will feature a LandWatch program director in conversation with fellow local experts covering a range of topics on land use and regional livability.
REGISTER FOR ALL THREE EVENTS
On October 3, we’ll start out by looking closely at the lives of mule deer, with the High Desert Museum’s Curator of Wildlife Jon Nelson. You see deer often, but how much do you know about this shy, fascinating species? Find out.
GET TICKETS FOR OCT 3 ONLY
On October 23, we’ll talk about farming in the high desert with local farmers and ambitious entrepreneurs Megan Kellner-Rode and Cate Havstad.
GET TICKETS FOR OCT 23 ONLY
And, on November 13, following hot on the heels of the national election, we will host a lively session all about how we can act locally to create Complete Communities to ensure a more equitable, climate-resilient future.
GET TICKETS FOR NOV 13 ONLY

Wild & Scenic Film Festival
2024-10-04 17:00 - 21:00 | Tower Theatre, 835 NW Wall St., Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Oregon Natural Desert Association presents the Wild & Scenic Film Festival on Friday, October 4, 2024 — an unforgettable evening of captivating short films that address pressing environmental issues, highlight incredible work being done by activists around the world, and celebrate the beauty of our planet.
Our carefully curated lineup will take you on a breathtaking journey through the natural world, showcasing awe-inspiring landscapes and emphasizing the urgency of protecting our wild places.
There will be an in-person show at the Tower Theatre in Bend, Oregon as well as a virtual version streamed online. Join us for a night of inspiration and discovery!
GET TICKETS HERE

Happy Hour & Instream Collective Launch Party
2024-11-13 16:00 - 18:00 | Confluence Fly Shop, 375 SW Powerhouse Dr Suite 100, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Come to enjoy a beverage and talk fishing, rivers, and conservation with the DRC crew and supporters. Join fellow river enthusiasts in learning about our work and how YOU can help us Raise the Deschutes.
Become a supporting member and help steward this precious resource that makes Central Oregon such a special place to call home. The Instream Collective – where your investment becomes our future flows.
*This is a free event and you do not need to be a member to attend.

Groundwater Grief, River Relief: The Status and Future of Central Oregon’s Water Supplies
2024-11-21 11:30 - 13:00 | Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 61980 Skyline Ranch Road, Bend, OR, United States
Central Oregon faces unique and evolving challenges in water use, driven by new state-imposed groundwater rules layered on top of complex and often arcane water rights allocations. Join moderator Emily Cureton Cook of OPB and a panel of water experts as they unpack the complexities of managing this precious resource in a region dealing with prolonged drought, population growth, and competing needs from agriculture, tribes, and urban areas.
Confirmed Panelists:

Bobby Brunoe, Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs
Ed Fitch, City of Redmond

A Sense of Place Webinar Series: Indigenous Perspectives of Earth, Water and Sky - Featuring David G. Lewis, PhD
2024-12-12 12:00 - 13:00 | 375 SW Powerhouse Dr Suite 100, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
A Sense of Place Webinar Series: Indigenous Perspectives of Earth, Water and Sky – Featuring David G. Lewis, PhD. – Assistant Professor, Anthropology & Indigenous Studies, Oregon State University.

Beneath the Surface: Navigating Oregon's New Groundwater Rules and Their Impact in Central Oregon
2024-12-16 17:30 - 18:30 | Open Space Event Studios, 220 NE Lafayette Ave, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Understanding the largest change in Oregon’s water policy in decades. What changed? Why did it change? And what does it mean for the future of water in Central Oregon? Register here!

Raising the Deschutes: Challenges and Solutions for Our Rivers
2025-02-20 17:30 - 19:00 | Worthy Brewing, 495 Northeast Bellevue Drive, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
The rivers of the Deschutes Basin are vital, supporting fish and wildlife, agriculture, and recreation. However, challenges like low streamflows and water quality issues threaten their health.
Join the Deschutes River Conservancy to explore what makes the basin special, the challenges it faces, and the collaborative efforts to restore streamflows, improve water quality, and ensure a sustainable water future for generations to come.
Doors open at 5:30. Program starts at 6 pm.

February 20, 2025
Worthy Brewing
Free

Registration: https://www.deschutesriver.org/event/raising-the-deschutes-challenges-and-solutions-for-our-rivers
