Reminder: Support the lower Deschutes by Sharing Your Voice with the EQC This Wednesday

This Wednesday, the Oregon Environmental Quality Commission (EQC) will host a long discussion on the status of water quality and fisheries conditions in the Deschutes River Basin. The DRA will be a part of this discussion, and we are looking forward to this chance to bring the longstanding issues facing the lower Deschutes River to Oregon’s highest environmental body. 

To join the meeting, follow the Zoom link available here (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86986970817) or on the EQC website (https://www.oregon.gov/deq/about-us/eqc/Pages/04062022.aspx).

Please note that the time has changed! The Deschutes Basin discussion will now start around 1:55pm and is scheduled to continue until 3:40pm. More information is also available on the EQC website.

During the discussion, the DRA will focus on one simple topic – enforcement of water quality laws and dam operational requirements. Since the Selective Water Withdrawal (SWW) Tower started operations in late 2009, the aquatic environmental in the lower Deschutes has changed dramatically - nuisance algae coat the lower river, pH levels have never been higher, water temperatures are consistently higher, and oxygen levels fail to support spawning fish. 

Without consistent enforcement by the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), these conditions have been allowed to persist for more than a decade. But it doesn’t need to be this way. We will show that the SWW Tower can be operated to meet its required standards and, in doing so, will improve water quality for the whole length of the lower Deschutes.

The lower Deschutes will need your voice too! Directly following the discussion, the EQC is providing an opportunity for public comment. Your testimony is vital for getting the river needs all the support it needs. Some topics to focus your testimony on could include:

• Sharing your personal experiences with the lower Deschutes and highlighting the disastrous changes you’ve seen in the river over the last decade.
• Voicing your frustration with DEQ, that they have let operations hurt water quality in the lower Deschutes to the benefit of the dam operators for more than a decade.
• Stating your expectations from state agencies – that they fulfill their statutory duty to enforce all the laws and standards for the benefit of the lower Deschutes and the Oregonians who rely on the river.

Thank you for your ongoing support. We look forward seeing you all (virtually) on Wednesday.

For any question, please reach out to either Sarah Cloud or Ben Kirsch.