Deschutes River Conservancy

What Deschutes River Conservancy does

The Deschutes River Conservancy (DRC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1996 and headquartered in Bend, Oregon, with a mission to restore streamflow and improve water quality in the Deschutes River Basin. The organization coordinates with 8 irrigation districts and up to 200 landowners to operate an instream water rights leasing program that protects up to 60 cfs annually, permanent water rights transfers, a groundwater mitigation bank, and the newly authorized Deschutes Water Bank. DRC also delivers irrigation modernization projects including canal piping and on-farm efficiency, streamflow monitoring across multiple tributaries, and the Raise the Deschutes educational seminar series. Over 30 years, DRC has restored more than 350 cubic feet per second of streamflow, piped over 100 miles of leaky canals, and returned more than 2 billion gallons of water to the basin.

The organization operates as a consensus-based multi-stakeholder platform governed by a 15-member Board of Directors representing agricultural, tribal, environmental, recreational, municipal, fish and wildlife, and hydroelectric interests, with project decisions requiring unanimous board approval. Core strategic partners include the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs as co-founder and senior water rights holder, Central Oregon Irrigation District, Three Sisters Irrigation District, North Unit Irrigation District, Ochoco Irrigation District, Portland General Electric, Deschutes Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy, and federal partners including the Bureau of Reclamation and USDA.

DRC's revenue model is diversified across federal and state grants from agencies including the Bureau of Reclamation, USDA, Oregon Water Resources Department, and Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board; foundation grants from organizations such as the Meyer Memorial Trust and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation; individual donations; a tiered membership program with the Instream Collective starting at $12/month, River Stewards at $1,000+ annually, and Headwaters Council at $10,000+ annually; a corporate Blue Water program with Avion Water; and publication sales. The organization is the designated co-lead of the Deschutes Basin Water Collaborative and a partner in the Deschutes Basin Habitat Conservation Plan with 30-year legally binding flow targets, and it received Platinum Transparency certification from Candid's GuideStar in 2025.

Name

Deschutes River Conservancy

Legal name

Deschutes River Conservancy

Website

https://deschutesriver.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Deschutes River Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1996 that restores streamflow and improves water quality in Oregon's Deschutes Basin through water rights transactions, irrigation modernization, and multi-stakeholder collaborative planning serving irrigation districts, tribes, municipalities, and conservation partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Watershed Conservation Services

NAICS

Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241), Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Water, Sewer, Pipeline, Comm & Power Line Construction (1623)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water Source Development & Conveyance (Intakes, Canals, Pipelines) (AFACAFAH), Watershed Protection & Water Quality Services (AFAMAMAB), Raw Water Conveyance & Transmission (Aqueducts, Mains, Pumping Stations) (EUANAAAB), Water Resources Administration (Watersheds, Rivers, Groundwater) (BPAIAMAE)

Keywords

• Streamflow restoration services
• Water rights leasing
• Irrigation modernization
• Watershed conservation programs
• Groundwater mitigation banking

Headquarters

HQ city

Bend

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Memberships: DRC generates revenue through one-time donations, monthly memberships through the Instream Collective program starting at $12/month, annual pledges, and major donor programs including River Stewards ($1,000+/year) and Headwaters Council ($10,000+/year).
2. Grants and Project Funding: Significant funding from federal agencies (Bureau of Reclamation, USDA), state agencies (Oregon Water Resources Department, Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board), and foundations for conservation and restoration projects.
3. Blue Water Program: Monthly donation program where Avion Water customers contribute to instream leasing work, with small monthly donations supporting restoration of streamflows.
4. Publication Sales: Sale of Home Waters book - a high-quality publication featuring local photographers and writers, with 100% of proceeds supporting DRC's mission.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Deschutes River Conservancy restores streamflow and improves water quality in Central Oregon's Deschutes Basin through voluntary, market-based water transactions and infrastructure modernization. Its core offerings include annual instream water rights leasing, permanent water rights transfers, a groundwater mitigation bank, a pilot Deschutes Water Bank, irrigation modernization projects (canal piping and on-farm efficiency), streamflow monitoring, and collaborative multi-stakeholder planning. Services are delivered to irrigation districts, agricultural landowners, municipalities, tribes, environmental groups, and government agencies.

Product overview

The Deschutes River Conservancy (DRC) operates as a nonprofit conservation organization offering a suite of water management programs rather than a traditional product platform. The core offerings include Water Transactions programs (Instream Water Rights Leasing, Permanent Water Rights Transfers, Groundwater Mitigation Bank, and the new Deschutes Water Bank) that use market-based approaches to move water where it's needed most; Irrigation Modernization services (Canal Piping and On-Farm Efficiency) that modernize aging infrastructure; Collaborative Planning initiatives (Deschutes Basin Water Collaborative and Deschutes Partnership) that unite stakeholders; Streamflow Monitoring that collects and analyzes water data; and the Raise the Deschutes Seminar Series for education and outreach. Projects include the McKay Creek Water Rights Switch and North Unit Minimum Flow Agreement. The organization also offers the Instream Collective monthly membership and the Home Waters publication for community engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Instream Water Rights Leasing

Quantifiable outcome

• Restored more than 350 cfs of flow throughout the Deschutes Basin
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Deschutes PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005Unites DRC with Deschutes Land Trust, Crooked River Watershed Council, and Upper Deschutes Watershed Council to restore streamflow and habitat for salmon and steelhead in Whychus Creek, the Crooked River, and the Metolius River.
• Deschutes Basin Water CollaborativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-led by DRC, aligns basin stakeholders to balance competing water demands and create a comprehensive water management plan for the Deschutes Basin.
• Central Oregon Irrigation DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorks with DRC on canal piping projects, water conservation, and modernization efforts in the Bend, Redmond, and Powell Butte areas. DRC's Secretary/Treasurer Craig Horrell serves as District Manager for COID.
• North Unit Irrigation DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorks with DRC on minimum flow agreements and water sharing programs. North Unit has the most junior water rights in the region. DRC board member Phil Fine represents NUID.
• Confederated Tribes of Warm SpringscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDRC was co-founded by tribal members and continues deep partnership. The Tribes hold the most senior water rights in the basin and are key partners in salmon and steelhead reintroduction efforts.
• Portland General ElectriccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on the Pelton Round Butte Hydroelectric Project and anadromous fish reintroduction program. DRC board member Megan Hill represents PGE's hydroelectric and fish reintroduction interests.
• Deschutes Land TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation partner working with DRC on habitat restoration and streamflow projects. DRC board member Natasha Bellis serves as Conservation Director for the Land Trust.
• The Nature ConservancymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental organization partner providing sustainable water program expertise. DRC board member Zach Freed serves as Sustainable Water Program Director at TNC.
• Three Sisters Irrigation DistrictmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompleted final piping project in 2025 to restore Whychus Creek flows. Works with DRC on on-farm efficiency and canal piping projects.
• Upper Deschutes Watershed CouncilmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWatershed council partner in the Deschutes Partnership working on restoration projects in the Upper Deschutes.
• Crooked River Watershed CouncilmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWatershed council partner in the Deschutes Partnership working on restoration in the Crooked River Basin.
• Ochoco Irrigation DistrictmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the McKay Creek Water Rights Switch project, providing more reliable water from Prineville Reservoir to landowners.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Deschutes Land Trust: A Central Oregon land trust that partners with DRC on habitat conservation and streamflow projects in the Deschutes Basin. Both organizations serve overlapping stakeholders—irrigation districts, tribes, municipalities, and conservation groups—and coordinate through the Deschutes Partnership.
• Upper Deschutes Watershed Council: A sibling watershed council that shares office space with DRC and co-implements restoration projects in the Upper Deschutes under the Deschutes Partnership. Both organizations perform streamflow monitoring, stakeholder engagement, and on-the-ground restoration in the same basin.
• Crooked River Watershed Council: A partner in the Deschutes Partnership that focuses on restoration in the Crooked River sub-basin. Both organizations share the same nonprofit watershed restoration model and coordinate on McKay Creek, Whychus Creek, and Crooked River projects.
• WaterWatch of Oregon: A nonprofit advocacy and water trust organization that works on instream water rights, river restoration, and water policy across Oregon. Comparable to DRC in its use of water rights transactions and policy advocacy to restore streamflows.
• The Freshwater Trust: A Pacific Northwest nonprofit that uses market-based water transactions, mitigation banking, and quantitative analysis to restore streamflows. Operates with a similar portfolio of water leasing, transfers, and habitat investments as DRC.

Broad incumbents

• American Rivers: A national river conservation nonprofit that works on river protection, restoration, and water policy. American Rivers operates across many basins versus DRC's single-basin focus, but addresses the same core problem of restoring streamflow and protecting freshwater habitat.
• The Nature Conservancy (Oregon): A global conservation organization with a Sustainable Water Program in Oregon. TNC is a DRC board partner (Zach Freed of TNC sits on DRC's board) and works on comparable water transactions and conservation finance, but at a much larger geographic and financial scale.
• River Network: A national nonprofit that supports grassroots watershed groups and water-focused organizations across the U.S. While not a direct operator of basin restoration, it serves a comparable constituency of water-focused nonprofits and convenes the broader water movement that DRC participates in.
• Trout Unlimited: A national coldwater fisheries conservation nonprofit that conducts stream restoration, water transactions, and irrigation efficiency work. Operates in Oregon (including the Deschutes Basin through its state council) with overlapping priorities on salmon, steelhead, and trout habitat.

Regional players

• Bonneville Environmental Foundation: A Portland-based nonprofit that funds watershed restoration in the Pacific Northwest with a focus on water quality and fish habitat. Operates in adjacent geographies and on overlapping themes (water transactions, habitat restoration) but functions more as a funder than a direct restoration operator.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Deschutes River Conservancy