Tumalo Creek

Tumalo Creek
Below Tumalo Falls
Location of the mouth of Tumalo Creek in Oregon
Etymology	Perhaps from the Klamath word for wild plum[2]
Location
Country	United States
State	Oregon
County	Deschutes
Physical characteristics
Source	confluence of Middle and North forks of Tumalo Creek
• location	Deschutes National Forest near Mount Bachelor, Cascade Range
• coordinates	44°02′49″N 121°35′55″W[1]
• elevation	5,597 ft (1,706 m)[3]
Mouth	Deschutes River
• location	north of Bend, upstream of Tumalo State Park
• coordinates	44°06′57″N 121°20′22″W[1]
• elevation	3,245 ft (989 m)[1]
Length	20 mi (32 km)[4]
Basin size	59 sq mi (150 km^2)[5]
Discharge
• average	75 cu ft/s (2.1 m^3/s)[6]
• maximum	250 cu ft/s (7.1 m^3/s)

Tumalo Creek is a tributary, about 20 miles (32 km) long,[4] of the Deschutes River, located in Deschutes County in Central Oregon, United States. It rises in the Cascade Range at 44.04706°N 121.598647°W / 44.04706; -121.598647 (Tumalo Creek source), where Middle Fork Tumalo Creek and North Fork Tumalo Creek meet, and forms several waterfalls, including the 97-foot (30 m) Tumalo Falls. Its mouth is on the Deschutes at 44.1159506°N 121.3394783°W / 44.1159506; -121.3394783.[7]

It is home to several species of trout, including the Columbia River redband trout. It is the primary drinking water source for the city of Bend.[8] The lower reaches of the creek are often emptied for irrigation, drained by a tunnel flume at 44.09589°N 121.35966°W / 44.09589; -121.35966 (Tumalo Creek tunnel flume) and Tumalo Canal at 44.09591°N 121.35970°W / 44.09591; -121.35970 (Tumalo Canal source).

In 1883, the first known canal to be dug from the creek was created to divert water to farms.[9] The 1979 Bridge Creek Fire and related salvage logging increased erosion and damaged habitats in and near Tumalo Creek. Since 2003, a network of government agencies and volunteer groups have been working to restore fish and wildlife habitat along a 3-mile (5 km) stretch of the stream.[10]^[needs update]

See also

• List of rivers of Oregon

References

1. "Tumalo Creek". Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). United States Geological Survey. November 28, 1980. Retrieved April 30, 2012.
2. McArthur, Lewis A.; Lewis L. McArthur (2003) [1928]. Oregon Geographic Names (7th ed.). Portland, Oregon: Oregon Historical Society Press. p. 973. ISBN 0-87595-277-1.
3. Source elevation derived from Google Earth search using GNIS source coordinates.
4. Sheehan, Madelynne Diness (2005). Fishing in Oregon (10th ed.). Scappoose, Oregon: Flying Pencil Publications. p. 249. ISBN 0-916473-15-5.
5. United States Forest Service. "Tumalo Creek Bridge to Bridge Restoration Environmental Assessment" (PDF). University of Oregon. p. 4. Retrieved April 30, 2012.
6. "Tumalo Creek". Deschutes River Conservancy. Retrieved April 30, 2012.
7. "Tumalo Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. 28 November 1980. Retrieved August 28, 2011.
8. Lindsey, Ethan (June 10, 2009). "Bend considers building a hydroelectric project on Tumalo Creek". OPB News. Portland, Oregon. Archived from the original on July 13, 2012. Retrieved August 28, 2011.
9. "About Us". Tumalo Irrigation District. Retrieved 2021-06-19.
10. "Tumalo Creek Restoration Project". Upper Deschutes Watershed Council. Archived from the original on August 20, 2008. Retrieved April 30, 2012.

External links

• Real-time data, Deschutes Basin