The water level in the Deschutes River will be lowered through Sunday to aid Search & Rescue teams looking for a missing man who went over Dillon Falls on an inner tube July 19.
Press Release:
The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to locating the third victim from the tragic water-related incident that occurred August 19th at Dillon Falls. Over the past two weeks, our deputies and Search & Rescue teams have conducted an extensive search using every available resource — including swiftwater rescue technicians, professional divers, side scan sonar, remote-operated submersible, drones, aerial searches, and specially trained Human Remains Detection Dogs.
Given the thorough search conducted below the falls — where the first two victims were recovered — and recent alerts from our K9 teams in the upper section of the rapids, we are focusing our attention on specific areas where crews will search next. The K9 alerts are helping provide important clues and direction as we continue working through challenging river conditions.
Many of the areas of interest are extremely hazardous and not safe or suitable for dive operations due to swift currents, submerged hazards, and unstable conditions.
Statement from the Deschutes Basin Board of Control:
“The Deschutes Basin Board of Control, made up of eight local irrigation districts that deliver water across Central Oregon, is partnering with the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office to support the recovery of the individual still missing at Dillon Falls.
“To aid in operations, irrigation districts will temporarily reduce flows in the Deschutes River beginning Friday, August 1. Recreationists and irrigators may notice reduced flows through Monday, August 4.”
Once water levels begin to recede, our swiftwater technicians will move into position and begin focused operations in and around key locations within the rapids. We are hopeful that the reduced water flows will assist in advancing these recovery efforts.
We are grateful for the partnership of the irrigation districts and local farmers as we continue working to exhaust every possibility in our mission to bring closure to the family.
Sheriff Ty Rupert
Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office
This article appears in Source Weekly July 31, 2025.
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