Deschutes Watershed

The Deschutes River is one of the largest rivers in Thurston County. It flows over 57 miles from its headwaters in the Snoqualmie National Forest, to Tumwater Falls, and into Capitol Lake (which was formed in 1951 by impounding the Deschutes River estuary with a dam) at the head of Budd Inlet in downtown Olympia.

The lands that drain into the Deschutes River have a variety of uses, including forestry, agriculture and recreation, in addition to developed areas of Olympia and Tumwater.

Water quality is a major concern for residents that live, work and play in the Deschutes River watershed and ongoing development pressure in the watershed intensifies existing pollution.

We are doing our part to sustain and improve water quality by focusing conservation and restoration efforts on key Deschutes River properties. Capitol Land Trust and our members have conserved about 278 acres across 11 sites in the Deschutes River watershed, including over 12,000 feet of shoreline on the Deschutes River and its tributaries, Springer Lake, a rare bog, and working farms.