The Rapid decline of the lower Deschutes

[Lundman]

This was the best Steelhead river that is in Central Oregon - too bad Big Brother (PGE) treats our resources like the fish are not worth the $$ to protect [:/]

https://vimeo.com/201333440


Sad Sad Sad
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[r2u2]

Although , and sicking; thanks for the heads up.

Richard J
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[Charina]

Before the Crooked, the Deschutes, or the John Day were damed, they were all poorly producing rivers as the summer temps were too high. You follow the river long enough down past the dam, they are really poor salmonoid rivers - because they become to warm so fast in the summer.

I found the video very disingenuous to claim that for "thousands of years the Deschutes river ran cold . . ." Hogwash. For thousands of years it ran cold in the winter. Since dams were built, it ran colder than natural all through the summer, and had much more consistent temps to have year-round salmonids.

I also find it disingenuous to omit the reasons the project was put in place - specifically to restore warmer temps to restore native fish. Kinda a big fact to be glossing over.

Man changed that river from it's natural state it had been in "for thousands of years". Apparently someone thought it important to put natives above rainbows, and change it back towards how it was before we put dams in. I don't like it, but tell the real story, not some tear jerker that is factually incorrect and omits key facts.
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[Lundman]

My experience is with the lower Deschutes up to Shears Bridge from the early 70's on.

Oregon has been in major drought mode with the Cascade Mountains showing more bare rock in the summer time than I ever seen in 40+ years. Of course this effects water temps and water levels.

Here's proof of the temperature impact: http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/in..._colu.html

Now add to that a surface mount Lake Billy Chinook Hot water tap and you will effect the summer time vegetation that grows in the river. This will also effect what aquatic or semi-aquatic insect species can inhabit the river.

To draw water from the BOTTOM of Lake Billy Chinook instead of the top can only have a positive impact on the Salmon and steelhead summer time runs.

For you to include the John Day river in your comment (at least to me) shows me you don't know that river well at all - it originates in east central Oregon (the Blues) and has no dams other than irrigation diversions and has been a trophy small mouth fishery and small salmon & steelhead run as long as I can remember - nothing to do with the Deshcutes.
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[Charina]

It's been thirty some years since I've visited and fished the john day. I do recall finding some great smallmouth fishing. And some pretty decent trout fishing below a dam. Good enough that Dad took me there for quite a few trips. That trout stretch was completely applicable to the Deschutes' situation.

BOTH rivers were worthless as salmonoid streams (salmonoid is not synonymous with anadromous - salmonoid includes rainbow trout) due to summer temps. That is the way the deschutes naturally is, no matter how stable the metolious temps, or how high the water came from. It's a central Oregon river fed by streams that warm up every summer. Its better than john day or crooked due to size, but all those feeder rivers of the deschutes (aside from the metoilous) were way to warm before confluence to hold good trout populations. When's the last time you targeted the lower stretches of the crooked before the lake (except perhaps during spawn - if that's allowed any longer)? Or deschutes after Bend?

The crooked was my goto destination for a decade or so when it was better off than it is now. That stretch below pineview dam would be as worthless as the lower stretches as a year-round trout stream if it were not for the stable temps (and summer flows) of the damn. But that stretch is NOT natural.

The Deschutes of the last several decades is NOT natural. It's NOT how it flowed for thousands of years. Period. And that is the crux of why the changes have been made recently to increase the temps of the lower sections. I personally disagree that natives in that stretch are more important or worthwhile than a thriving rainbow fishery. But that is moot.

The video is well put together, but it's crap. Spin job at best. It's people complaining that their way of living or recreation is changing. I'd be pissed to. But I'd at least try to be honest about it.
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