Colorado has only one river that has the federal Wild and Scenic River designation, and it flows through Northern Colorado.

In October of 1986, President Ronald Reagan signed the legislation designating portions of the Poudre and its South Fork above the mouth of the Poudre Canyon as Wild and Scenic, concluding a long-sought compromise by conservation advocates and water managers.

In a video interview conducted by Northern Water in early 2022, former U.S. Sen. Hank Brown discussed the work necessary for passage of the legislation. He noted that cooperation among water users in the Poudre Valley, including the cities of Greeley and Fort Collins, ditch companies and environmental groups was vital to getting bipartisan support for the designation. One of the key elements in the compromise was the recognition that water storage sought by water providers would occur outside of the canyon – a site later designated as Glade Reservoir.

Today, Glade Reservoir is part of the Northern Integrated Supply Project, and it has received its federal, state and county permits for construction. Upstream of the Glade Reservoir, the Poudre River flows freely as a Wild and Scenic River.