Deschutes River:
Lewis and Clark first called the
Deschutes "Clark's River" and that name appears
on the route map and in their journals.
Later, to avoid confusion with the
previously named "Clark's Fork"
[Pend Oreille River],
Lewis and Clark
changed the river's name to it's Indian name
"Towahnahiooks," which with its
various other spellings is the Chinook term for
"enemies," referring to a river coming from southern
Paiute Indian territory.
"...
To this river, moreover, which we have
hitherto called Clarke's river,
which rises in the southwest mountains, we
restored the name of
Towahnahiooks,
the name by which it is known to the Eneeshurs
..."
[Clark, May 6, 1806]
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In the fur trading period the French Canadians called
the drainage "Riviere des Chutes," French for "river of
the falls," because of its close proximity to the "La
Grand Dalle de la Columbia." The tendency to simplify
place names with local usage has shortened the name
to "Deschutes."
The Deschutes River originates on the east slope of the Cascade Mountains southwest of
Bend. The river flows north through Central Oregon and enters the Columbia River at River Mile (RM) 205. The basin drains approximately
10,500 square miles and is second in size only to the Willamette River watershed in Oregon.
The basin is separated
into upper and lower sections, the dividing point between the sections being the
Pelton/Round Butte at RM 100.
The lower Deschutes River basin covers approximately 2,700 square miles and has 760
miles of perennial streams and 1,440 miles of intermittent streams. Major tributaries to the
lower Deschutes River include the Warm Springs and White rivers and Shitike, Trout,
Bakeoven, and Buck Hollow creeks. Nineteen high mountain lakes, six lower elevation
lakes and small reservoirs, and numerous man-made or natural small ponds are also found.
The lower Deschutes River basin lies in the southern portion of the Columbia Basin
physiographic province. Loess, volcanic ash and pumice have been laid down during recent geologic
times, with much of the original deposits of loess and ash having been eroded from the uplands
and deposited along streams.
The upper Deschutes River basin encompasses the upper 132 river miles of the
Deschutes River and drains approximately 2,200 square miles.
--
Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Authority Website, 2004, and
Washington State Historical Society Website, 2004, "Lasting Legacy".
- 1814 Map, Lewis and Clark's map of the Columbia River (section of original). (Click to enlarge.) Shows the Deschutes River ("To-war-na-he-ooks R.").
Map also includes three of the five volcanoes Lewis and Clark saw and commented on. While the journals mention the expedition seeing Mount Adams, it does not appear on their map. Mount Jefferson is just visible to the south (bottom) and Mount Rainier is to the north but off the map.
From the "Nicholas Biddle/Paul Allen" 1814 publication.
Original Map: "A Map of Lewis and Clark's Track, Across the Western Portion of North America, From the Mississippi to the Pacific Ocean".
From: History of the expedition under the command of Captains Lewis and Clark : to the sources of the Missouri, thence across the Rocky Mountains and down the river Columbia to the Pacific Ocean : performed during the years 1804-5-6 : by order of the government of the United States / prepared for the press by Paul Allen. Philadelphia : Bradford and Insskeep, 1814.
Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University #upbover maps37.
-- Brigham Young University, Harold B. Lee Library Website, 2004.
- 1853 Map, Washington and Oregon and the Columbia River,
from the Clearwater River to the Snake River and down the Columbia River to the Pacific Ocean (section of original). (Click to enlarge).
Includes: Clearwater River (Kooskooski), Lapwai Creek (Lapwai R.), Snake River (Saptin or Lewis R.), Columbia River (Columbia R.), Yakima River (Yakima R.), Walla Walla River (Wallawalla R.), Umatilla River (Umatilla R.), Willow Creek (Quesnells R.), John Day River (John day's R.), Deschutes River (Fall R.), Willamette River (Willammette R.), and Cowlitz River (Cowlitz R.).
Original Map: "Map of California, Oregon, Washington, Utah, and New Mexico (1853)",
by Thomas Cowperthwait & Co.
Washington State University Archives #WSU22.
-- Washington State University Library Collections Website, 2003
- 1853-54 Map, Columbia River, including the Hood River to John Day area (section of original). (Click to enlarge).
Includes Hood River (Dog River), Klickitat River (Klikatat R.), Mill Creek (?) (Wasco Ck.), The Dalles, The Deschutes (Wanwauwie or des Chutes R.), the John Day River (Mah hah or John Day's R.), and Rock Creek (Camill Cr.).
Original Map: "Rocky Mountains to Puget Sound : from explorations and surveys / made under the direction of the Hon. Jefferson Davis, Secretary of War by Isaac I. Stevens Governor of Washington Territory, 1853-4."
Inset: (Supplementary sketch) Reconnaissance of the railroad route from Wallawalla to Seattle via Yak-e-mah River & Snoqualmie Pass. By A. W. Tinkham in January 1854. Drawn by J. R. P. Mechlin. 20 x 28 cm.
Topographer, John Lambert, Published in Washington D.C., 1859, 1:1,200,000, Notes: From the U.S. War Department, Explorations and Surveys for a Railroad Route from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean, Topographical Maps, to Illustrate the Various Reports, U.S. Library of Congress American Memories Reference "LC Railroad Maps #156".
-- U.S. Library of Congress, American Memories Website, 2004
- 1855 Map, Columbia River, including the Deschutes River (Fall R.) (section of original). (Click to enlarge).
Original Map: "Map of Oregon and Washington Territories:
showing the proposed Northern Railroad route to the Pacific Ocean,
by John Disturnell, 1855.
University of Washington Archives #UW155.
-- University of Washington Library Collections Website, 2002
- 1858 Military Recon Map (section of original),
Deschutes River confluence with the Columbia River. (Click to enlarge).
Washington State is north (top) and Oregon is south (bottom).
Miller Island is under the fold marks. "Deschutes Peak" today is called "Haystack Butte".
Original Map: Map of military reconnaissance from Fort Dalles,
Oregon, via Fort Wallah-Wallah, to Fort Taylor, Washington Territory,
1858. Shows approximate location of military road constructed 1859 to 1862.
From: the report and maps of Captain John Mullan, United States Army G.P.O., 1863.
-- Washington State University Library Archives Website, 2002
- 1859 Map, Columbia River, including the Klickitat River
(Klikatat Riv.), Fort Dalles, and the Deschutes River (Fall River) (section of original). (Click to enlarge).
Original Map: "Map Exhibiting the Routes between Fort Dalles and the Great Salt Lake",
By Bvt.2d Lieut. Joseph Dixon, Topl. Engrs. From Explorations made by him while attached to the Wagon Road Expedition to the Valley of the Great Salt Lake, under the command of Capt. H.D. Wallen, 4th Inft., Compiled under the direction of Capt. Geo. Thom, Topl. Engr., from the orders of Brig. Gen. W.S. Harney commanding the Department of Oregon, 1859.
Publisher: Bureau of Topog. Engineers, 1860,
UU Library ID: #G4240_1859_D5.,
Scale: 1:1,300,000.
-- University of Utah Library, J.Willard Marriott Digitized Collections Website, 2004
- 1887 Map (section of original),
Columbia River at The Dalles, including the Deschutes River and Miller Island. (Click to enlarge).
Original Map: The Columbia River from Celilo to the mouth showing locations of the salmon fisheries, 1887.
Scale ca. 1:375,000, Relief shown by hachures.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Office, G.P.O. 1888.
University of Washington Archives #UW128.
-- University of Washington Library Archives Website, 2002
- 1983 Map, Miller Island and the Deschutes River (section of original). (Click to enlarge).
Office of Coast Surveys, Historical Maps and Charts,
Lake Celilo, 1983, Chart#18533, 1:20,000.
-- NOAA Office of Coast Survey Website, 2004
- 1997, NASA Image, Columbia River from The Dalles to Rock Creek
(Click to enlarge).
View from space - northeast looking photograph of
Columbia River, The Dalles Dam, John Day Dam, Miller Island, Maryhill area, Deschutes River, John Day
River, and Rock Creek, 1997.
The Columbia River flows upper right (east) to lower left (west).
NASA Earth from Space #STS085-734-085.
-- NASA Earth from Space Website, 2002
- 1994, NASA Image, Deschutes drainage, including Miller Island (section of original). (Click to enlarge).
View from space - Columbia River and the Deschutes River drainage, west-northwest-looking,
low-oblique photograph, September 1994. Miller Island is visible in the Columbia River
(right side of view) at the mouth of the
Deschutes River (center of view). The Cascades are the dark coloration at the top of the view.
NASA Earth from Space #STS064-112-092.
-- NASA Earth from Space Website, 2002
- 1910, Junction of the Deschutes River with the Columbia River. (Click to enlarge).
Oregon Historical Society OrHi#24347, also ID#905-D,
Columbia Gorge Discovery Center Catalogue #2001.05.008.
-- Columbia Gorge Discovery Center Website, 2004.
- 2003, Deschutes River, Oregon, as seen from Washington State Highway 14. (Click to enlarge).
Copyright © 2003 Lyn Topinka, private archives, used with permission.
Deschutes River State Recreation Area:
The Deschutes River State Recreation Area
is a tree-shaded overnight oasis for campers. The sparkle-laden,
swift green rush of the Deschutes converges with the Columbia here,
and there's no better place for family
outing activities like hiking, biking, camping, rafting,
world-class steelhead and trout fishing and equestrian trail
riding.
The Deschutes, which is both a national and state scenic waterway,
drops about a quarter of a mile in its final
100 miles as it twists through canyons 700 to 2,200 feet deep.
-- Oregon State Parks and Recreation Website, 2002
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