Dear estuary enthusiast,

It has almost been one year since the DES issued the Final Environmental Impact Statement on the Deschutes Estuary (FKA Capitol Lake), which unequivocally recommends the full restoration of the estuary, and DERT is still hard at work! The goal: a clean, free-flowing Deschutes and a healthy watershed for all.

DERT exists today because of the support from our robust volunteer base and dedicated water quality advocates, and we have some impactful opportunities in the works for volunteers and our community alike in the fall and throughout 2024.

In this letter, you'll find the details of our 2023 Auction & Dinner. Help us celebrate the one year anniversary of the EIS heard around the watershed! Every penny raised will help us reach a broader audience as we grow and learn together about what a restored Deschutes Estuary looks like for all the inhabitants of the region.

We look forward to seeing you,

DERT Board of Directors

You are part of the vision and hard work that guarantees the Deschutes River WILL meet Puget Sound without a barrier. Together, we will continue to advocate for the restoration of our urban estuary. Please consider donating to DERT today.

Join us for a night of celebration and camaraderie at Octapas on Saturday, October 21st, 2023. All are welcome! The evening will include:

• Dinner & drinks
• Music
• A silent auction
• A live auction hosted by State Representative Beth Doglio

Have engaging conversations with board members and other DERT supporters and be part of the building effort to secure a healthy Deschutes Estuary and Watershed for our whole region!

Our team is growing! Help us welcome Caroline Slagle, DEI Manager, to the Deschutes Estuary Restoration Team:

"During my time studying and working in the vibrant cities of New Orleans and Olympia, I became passionate about the vital intersections of environmentalism and social justice. My undergraduate studies at Tulane University culminated in a degree in English and International Development with added experience in youth development, anti-oppression facilitation, and community organizing. Working in outdoor education in Olympia inspired me to pursue a Masters of Environmental Studies at The Evergreen State College where I am concentrating on cultural and ecological restoration. 

I am enthusiastically committed to using my skillset to support DERT's mission in service of a thriving, healthy watershed for all. By healing our environment in collaboration with our communities, we can strive for a more equitable and sustainable future."

We're thrilled to have you on board, Caroline!

UPCOMING VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Below are a number of upcoming volunteer opportunities. If you are interested in participating, please sign up to be a volunteer here and send us an email at olydert@gmail.com to confirm your interest.

As we work to reinvigorate our volunteer programs, sending us an email with your interest is a great way to get involved and stay updated if there are any unexpected changes of plan. In the long run we aim to utilize our volunteer platform, Volgistics, to a greater degree and it helps us greatly if you are already registered as a volunteer.

Please keep a lookout for our upcoming Community Forums in September and October. More volunteer opportunities to be added to our calendar soon as well!

If you are interested in participating in one of these events, please sign up to be a volunteer here and send us an email at olydert@gmail.com to confirm your interest.

You are part of the vision and hard work that guarantees the Deschutes River WILL meet Puget Sound without a barrier. Together, we will continue to advocate for the restoration of our urban estuary. Please consider donating to DERT today.

MICROPLASTICS MONITORING

We had several DERT volunteers attend our July microplastics sampling training, and we had perfect weather as we combed the beach (in our quadrats – or sampling sites) for microplastics smaller than 5mm in diameter. As it turns out this private beach along Sana Passage had very few microplastics, only four pieces across six 1m x 1m sampling sites!!

A big thanks to our Cole Baldino, one of our board members who helped us gain access to the beach, as well as Silas Cranmer for volunteering to help train other volunteers in the protocol.

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, learning or partaking in the science of microplastics data collection, and participating in future sampling events please join our volunteer pool here.

This will allow you to get the most up to date information about our upcoming volunteer opportunities, which also include kayak patrols, trash pickups along our local waterways, and opportunities to table at local events and educate our community on all that a free-flowing Deschutes Estuary has to offer!!

NEWS IN THE WATERSHED

Do you have watershed news to share?

Send it to us at olydert@gmail.com

POLLUTION REPORTING RESOURCES

As a community dedicated to protecting the Deschutes watershed and South Puget Sound, we must all keep an eye out for potential pollution incidents when we are out and about.

To report suspected pollution in your community, email olydert@gmail.com.

DERT's South Sound Healthy Watershed Program operates thanks to our sponsoring foundations and donors like you. Did you know that donors are now able to set up automatic recurring monthly donations in any amount? Follow the link to the right to get set up. Thank you for working with us towards a free Deschutes!

Do our emails get lost in your promotion tab? Here is a quick trick to make sure our newsletter goes directly into your primary inbox*. Simply click on the email in your promotions tab, and drag it up and over to your primary tab. Voila! From now on, every DERT email will go directly to your primary tab!

For more information CLICK HERE

*This tip is for those who use Gmail, but it may be applicable to other platforms.