| Tumalo Creek | |
| Name Etymology: | Perhaps from the Klamath word for wild plum[1] |
| Map Size: | 300 |
| Pushpin Map: | USA Oregon |
| Pushpin Map Size: | 300 |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of the mouth of Tumalo Creek in Oregon |
| Subdivision Type1: | Country |
| Subdivision Name1: | United States |
| Subdivision Type2: | State |
| Subdivision Name2: | Oregon |
| Subdivision Type4: | County |
| Subdivision Name4: | Deschutes |
| Length: | 20miles[2] |
| Discharge1 Avg: | 75cuft/s[3] |
| Discharge1 Max: | 250cuft/s |
| Source1: | confluence of Middle and North forks of Tumalo Creek |
| Source1 Location: | Deschutes National Forest near Mount Bachelor, Cascade Range |
| Source1 Coordinates: | 44.0469°N -121.5986°W[4] |
| Source1 Elevation: | 5597feet[5] |
| Mouth: | Deschutes River |
| Mouth Location: | north of Bend, upstream of Tumalo State Park |
| Mouth Coordinates: | 44.1158°N -121.3394°W |
| Mouth Elevation: | 3245feet |
| Basin Size: | 59sqmi[6] |
Tumalo Creek is a tributary, about 20miles long,[2] of the Deschutes River, located in Deschutes County in Central Oregon, United States. It rises in the Cascade Range at 44.0471°N -121.5986°W, where Middle Fork Tumalo Creek and North Fork Tumalo Creek meet, and forms several waterfalls, including the 97feet Tumalo Falls. Its mouth is on the Deschutes at 44.116°N -121.3395°W.[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 44.0959°N -121.3597°W and Tumalo Canal at 44.0959°N -121.3597°W.
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 30NaN0 stretch of the stream.[10]