Three Preliminary Reports on Potential Effects of NISP Published

The Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District (the District) is proposing a water storage and supply project known as the Northern Integrated Supply Project (NISP). The District made a presentation about the project to Fort Collins City Council on May 22, 2007. Based on that presentation, City Council directed city staff to review the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and to prepare preliminary comments as needed. The three preliminary reports posted here were developed based on the most accurate data available to the City prior to the release of the DEIS on April 30th, 2008. The City will review the DEIS and provide further analysis in summer of 2008.

Three background technical reports were developed to investigate potential effects of NISP:

1. Characterizing the Cache La Poudre River: Past, Present, and Future :
   A summary of key findings by the Poudre Technical Advisory Group: On November 1st 2007, the Natural Resources Department and City Utilities’ staff hosted a 4-hour roundtable discussion with technical experts to assess past, present and potential future condition of the Poudre River through Fort Collins.
2. Preliminary Identification of Potential Impacts of Glade Reservoir on the Cache La Poudre River :
   Overland Trail to Interstate 25: by Ayres Associates.
3. Estimating the Economic Benefits of Maintaining Peak Instream Flows in the Poudre River through Fort Collins, Colorado :
   Dr. John Loomis from the Department of Resource Economics at Colorado State University conducted a “Contingent Valuation” citizen survey of the “financial value” of the Poudre River to Fort Collins’ citizens.

These preliminary reports were developed based on the most accurate data available to the City prior to the release of the DEIS on April 30th, 2008.

The City has created an interdisciplinary staff working group supported by a team of external private-sector consultants and local academic experts. This interdisciplinary group will closely review the DEIS and formulate a staff analysis that will be presented to Fort Collins City Council on June 10 and July 1.

Interested citizens and organizations may submit comments on the DEIS directly with the Army Corps of Engineers. Information on the comment period, public hearings, and details on the DEIS may be found on the Army Corp’s website.