River Use
Much of the flow of the upper Deschutes River is diverted into canals to irrigate farmland; Irrigation Districts take as much as 97% of the river's flow in the summer months. The growth of cities like Bend and Redmond also increased demand on the river's water, which is over allocated. Because the existing canals lose about 65% of their water due to leaks and evaporation, there is pressure to convert these canals into pipelines, a move that is resisted by many locals for historic or scenic reasons. Golf courses have also been an issue with water allocation. There are thirteen golf courses throughout Bend, Redmond, and Sunriver.
There are primarily two sections of the river popular for whitewater rafting and kayaking. The upstream section known as the Big Eddy is a short segment upriver from the city of Bend between Dillon Falls and Lava Island Falls. The lower and more heavily used section is from the town of Warm Springs downstream to just above Sherars Falls. The densest use is from RM 56 (about four miles above Maupin) to RM 44, just above Sherars Falls.
The river flows north, which is unusual in the United States. Several other Oregon tributaries of the Columbia River, including the Willamette and John Day Rivers, also flow in a northerly direction.
Read more about this topic: Deschutes River (Oregon)
Famous quotes containing the word river:
“In order to get to East Russet you take the Vermont Central as far as Twitchell’s Falls and change there for Torpid River Junction, where a spur line takes you right into Gormley. At Gormley you are met by a buckboard which takes you back to Torpid River Junction again.”
—Robert Benchley (1889–1945)
“The first man to discover Chinook salmon in the Columbia, caught 264 in a day and carried them across the river by walking on the backs of other fish. His greatest feat, however, was learning the Chinook jargon in 15 minutes from listening to salmon talk.”
—State of Oregon, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)