Sept. 21, 2017

NISP Mitigation Plan Receives Another Approval

In a unanimous vote, the Colorado Water Conservation Board approved the Northern Integrated Supply Project’s Fish and Wildlife Mitigation and Enhancement Plan at its Sept. 20, 2017, meeting in Steamboat Springs.

The plan was first approved by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission at its Sept. 7, 2017, meeting. The plan now moves to Governor Hickenlooper for his signature.

“We are happy to have developed a mitigation and enhancement plan that is supported by the state,” said Jerry Gibbens, who is the project manager for the NISP mitigation and enhancement plan.

Gibbens has spent much of the past year crafting and then modifying the plan based on comments from both the public and state agencies.

guy flyfishing in river

“The 15 NISP participants strongly believe the mitigation and enhancement plan will make for a better Poudre River,” said Chris Smith, chairman of the NISP participants committee. “We are glad to have crossed this hurdle.”

The mitigation and enhancement plan addresses the key issues raised during the public comment period including:

  • Minimizing the impacts of NISP operations on peak flows in the Poudre River
  • Guaranteeing a year-round flow through downtown Fort Collins
  • Protecting big game wildlife habitat on lands west of Glade Reservoir

The plan will become the official state position on the mitigation actions required by NISP for fish and wildlife resources, and will be transmitted to federal and other agencies that must issue permits for NISP construction.