Deschutes Estuary Restoration Team

Mission:

DERT’s mission is to realize a restored Deschutes Estuary that reflects and respects the history and culture of the south Salish Sea, and to advocate for a community managed Deschutes watershed that provides for all inhabitants for generations to come. 

Vision:

DERT envisions a free-flowing Deschutes River within a thriving Deschutes watershed, where humans understand and are invested in developing strong relationships with their habitat: the water, the land and the creatures who inhabit it. 

Who We Are & What We Do:

The Deschutes Estuary Restoration Team (DERT) is a 501(c)3 non-profit group working toward the health of the Deschutes watershed and its inhabitants, with a special focus on the estuary itself. Our organization is comprised of dedicated & seasoned environmental advocates and professionals. We value listening to and promoting science to enhance ecological health, allying with the current and historical stewards of these lands, including the Squaxin Island Tribe, and collaborating meaningfully with local organizations, agencies, and community members. We have been successfully advocating for the removal of the 5th Ave Dam and restoration of the Deschutes Estuary since 2009.

Now that Estuary Restoration is slated to take place, we continue to engage public officials, tribes, agencies, non-profits, schools, and the broader community in support of a healthy and community managed watershed. We also provide feedback on environmental legislation and restoration projects with direction from the Squaxin Island Tribe. Our education and outreach efforts center around issues of water quality, salmon health, climate change, environmental justice, and biocultural restoration, and include workshops, community forums, tabling events, and generating media content.

GIVE LOCAL and Help Support Our Current and Developing Programs:

UPCOMING! Deschutes Watershed Symposium - Bringing community partners together

Learn more and register today! ---> https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/deschutes-estuary-symposium

Community Envisioned Deschutes Estuary (CEDE) - A workshop series

This workshop series was initially a concentrated series of 7 workshops in early 2025. The series worked to develop a shared vision for the future of living alongside a restored Deschutes Estuary. We saw an average of 50 participants per workshop joining us to learn about sustainable development, environmental education, pollution, and stewardship throughout the Deschutes Watershed. We invited guest speakers who shared their expertise within the watershed and inspiring stories from our neighboring watershed groups. Due to incredible feedback and interest in this program, we plan to continue offering CEDE workshops on a quarterly basis– but we need your support to make it happen! 

Deschutes Watershed Guide - Educational resource

In 2016, DERT produced the Deschutes River Watershed Guide. The guide was so well-received we went into print 3 separate times! You can still read the guide online here: Deschutes River Watershed Guide. The guide inspired environmental action, improved watershed literacy, and supported residents developing a sense of place in the watershed. We are currently seeking funding to produce an updated and expanded Deschutes Watershed Guide for 2026.  

Festival of the Steh-Chass - A semi-annual event

DERT partners with the Squaxin Island Tribe to host this semi-annual event on the shores of the Deschutes Estuary. Steh-Chass (st̓əč̓as) refers to both the landscape and the original inhabitants of the Deschutes Estuary and Budd Inlet, one of the 7 bands of indigenous peoples who came to form what we now know as the Squaxin Island Tribe. The Festival of the Steh-Chass celebrates this cultural heritage and encourages cross-cultural exchange and relationship healing. The day is full of workshops, speakers, poetry, music, live art demonstrations, and more. A highlight of the 2nd Festival, where we drew over 600 participants, was the Healing of the Waters Ceremony conducted by the Squaxin Island Tribe in the waters below the 5th Avenue Dam. We look forward to hosting this event again in 2026! 

Advocacy and Outreach - The heart of our organization

DERT continues to engage with the Deschutes Estuary Restoration Project process by advocating for funding and resource allocation, providing input, educating the public, and keeping in communication with public officials and state agencies about the project. These are changing times for the project as the project is being moved from the Department of Enterprise Services to the Department of Ecology. There remains a clear need for our continued presence to ensure the project is completed and meaningfully integrated into watershed-wide efforts. Our Board of Directors, volunteers, and other team members work to stay well-informed of Estuary and Watershed issues 365 days a year. We are sincerely grateful for your contributions to amplify our efforts and ensure we are sustained into the future.