Summary
The Deschutes River in Olympia, Washington is 50-mile-long (80 km) . Its source is in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in Lewis County, and it empties into Budd Inlet of Puget Sound at Olympia in Thurston County. It was given its name by French fur traders, who called it Rivière des Chutes, or "River of the Falls", a translation of the First Nations name for the site.
Spurgeon Creek, Thurston Creek and Lake Lawrence.
Average flow 48 cu ft/s (1.4 m3/s) ⁃ maximum 8,150 cu ft/s (231 m3/s )A brewery was located there from 1896 until Prohibition. The Olympia Brewing Company bought the brewery after Prohibition ended in 1933. (Today it is owned by SAB Miller, but is no longer operational.)The river has numerous parks along it, including Pioneer Park and Tumwater Falls Park.
Native Species
Current:
Coho Salmon
Spring Chinook (manufactured run)
Historic
Summer Steelhead
Winter-steelhead
Spring Chinook (ESA listed)
Basin Stats
Location:
Its source is in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in Lewis County, and it empties into Budd Inlet of Puget Sound at Olympia in Thurston County.
Major Contributing Streams:
Spurgeon Creek, Thurston Creek and Lake Lawrence.
River Length:
50-mile-long (80 km)
Threats:
Hatchery: A barrier to fish passage exists at Tumwater Falls, with fish ladder passage that has failed. Current practice includes
Habitat: Degrading septic systems from older dwellings that populate the lower river, heavily logged areas above causeing unusual runoff, and livestock access to the river
News and media within the basin:
News articles
Estuary Management Plan:
