The Upper Deschutes Watershed Council seeks to protect and restore the two-million-acre upper Deschutes River watershed through collaborative projects in habitat restoration, long-term monitoring, and watershed education.
Our Vision.
We envision a healthy watershed that supports a balance of clean and abundant water, fisheries, wildlife habitat, and strong communities. A healthy watershed is the social, economic, and environmental well-being of the region and its people.
SINCE 1996, the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council (UDWC) has worked to protect and restore the 2,000,000-acre upper Deschutes River watershed through collaborative projects in habitat restoration, watershed education and long-term monitoring. With local support from landowners, local citizens, and representatives from local governments and agencies, we lead cooperative, grass-roots efforts to improve watershed conditions. This grass-roots approach ensures that a balance of affected and interested stakeholders is involved to craft effective management strategies for our watersheds.
Watershed councils are locally organized, non-regulatory, voluntary groups established to protect and restore local watersheds. Most watershed councils, including the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council (UDWC), were organized following the Oregon Legislature’s unanimous passage of House Bill 3441 which established guidance for the formation of watershed councils in Oregon. The UDWC became a 501(c)3 non-profit organization in 1997. We rely upon support from local, state and federal grants along with generous support from private donors, businesses and community supporters to fund our projects and programs.
Our Board of Directors is made up of volunteers who share a common commitment to working collaboratively toward watershed restoration. A full-time staff oversees projects and the day-to-day work of the UDWC.
