Poudre Flows Project#
Restoring water to the Cache la Poudre River
Supporting the City of Fort Collins Council priority to "Protect Community Water Systems in an Integrated Way to Ensure Resilient Water Resources and Healthy Watersheds."
Poudre River at North Shields Ponds Natural Area
Overview
The Poudre Flows Project will help fix dry-up challenges along the Poudre River by using existing water rights to increase water in the river. Increasing stream flow will improve habitat and water quality and increase community benefit. The City of Fort Collins is partnering with the City of Greeley and the City of Thornton to match releases of water designated for instream flows. The City’s water will be from Fort Collins Utilities’ water right shares. Depending on various river conditions, the City’s water could increase flows up to 37 cubic feet per second (cfs) through Fort Collins. To carry out the project, upgrades must be made to aging diversion structures on the Poudre River.
Goals#
- Increase water along 52 miles of the Cache la Poudre River
- Improve the health of the Poudre River
- Avoid impacting existing water users, other water rights, and existing operations
Purpose#
Currently, the Poudre River has six points of seasonal dry-up due to inadequate river flows. The Poudre Flows Project would increase flows at these dry-up points to improve habitat and water quality. Increasing instream flows strengthens the river’s aquatic services, increasing the survival of invertebrates and aquatic insects and creating connectivity for fish passage. The Project would also improve water quality by decreasing temperatures and nutrient concentrations. These conditions also support the wildlife that depends on the river.
Actions#
To operate the Poudre Flows Plan, the City of Fort Collins is working with the Arthur Ditch Company to upgrade their diversion structure, located near Taft Hill Road. The upgraded diversion will measure the improved flows through Fort Collins.
Timeline#
- 2013
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Poudre Flows Project began as an initiative by the Poudre Runs Through It Work Group.
- 2020
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House Bill 1037 passed, authorizing the Colorado Water Conservation Board to increase instream water flows to improve river health by using water rights historically designated for consumptive use. Water designated for consumptive use must be diverted from the river and put to a “beneficial use”, such as for agriculture or industry. This new legal framework is the first of its kind in the state and could be a model for streamflow restoration in other communities.
- 2023-24
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The Poudre Flows Project partners began working on the feasibility and conceptual design for the Arthur Diversion.
- 2028
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The partners plan to begin introducing the protected flows into the river, pending funding through the City’s budget process and a finalized decree in state water court.
Project Partners#
The Poudre Flows Project was created by regional partners invested in the health of the Poudre River during the Poudre Runs Through It Study/ Action Work Group in 2013. The partners pursing the Project include
- City of Fort Collins
- Colorado Water Trust
- City of Greeley
- City of Thornton
- Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District
- Cache la Poudre Water Users Association
- Colorado Water Conservation Board
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Great blue heron standing along the Poudre River
Fly-fishing on the Poudre River
Mink eating crayfish along the Poudre River
Rafting the Poudre River near Picnic Rock
Wading the Poudre River near the Environmental Learning Center
Great blue heron standing along the Poudre River
Fly-fishing on the Poudre River
Mink eating crayfish along the Poudre River
Rafting the Poudre River near Picnic Rock
Wading the Poudre River near the Environmental Learning Center