page_title: Deschutes River (Oregon)
section_title: River use
hierarchical_section_title: Deschutes River (Oregon) / River use
caption_attribution_description: A drift boat, also called a McKenzie River dory, at Whitehorse Rapids on the Deschutes River near Maupin, Oregon, USA.
context_page_description: The Deschutes River in central Oregon is a major tributary of the Columbia River. The river provides much of the drainage on the eastern side of the Cascade Range in Oregon, gathering many of the tributaries that descend from the drier, eastern flank of the mountains. The Deschutes provided an important route to and from the Columbia for Native Americans for thousands of years, and then in the 19th century for pioneers on the Oregon Trail. The river flows mostly through rugged and arid country, and its valley provides a cultural heart for central Oregon. Today the river supplies water for irrigation and is popular in the summer for whitewater rafting and fishing.
  The river flows generally north, as do several other large Oregon tributaries of the Columbia River, including the Willamette and John Day.
context_section_description: Much of the flow of the upper Deschutes River is diverted into canals to irrigate farmland; irrigation districts take nearly 98% 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 half of their water due to seepage, there is pressure to convert these canals into pipelines, a move that is resisted by many locals for historic and aesthetic reasons. Golf courses have also been an issue with water allocation. There are 13 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 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 4 miles (6.4 km) above Maupin—to RM 44, just above Sherars Falls.
caption: Boxcar Rapids near Maupin
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