Mitigation and Enhancement

Plan Benefits Streams, Wildlife and Environment

The NISP Fish and Wildlife Mitigation and Enhancement Plan – approved by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission, Colorado Water Conservation Board and former Gov. John Hickenlooper in 2017 – commits Northern Water to numerous measures that will benefit stream flows, wildlife and the natural environment we all enjoy. 

River Stream Flow Commitments 
  • Year-round water releases from Glade Reservoir, which will improve stream flows and eliminate existing dry-up points in the Poudre River through downtown Fort Collins 
  • More water in the Poudre River when flows are less than 50 cubic feet per second (cfs) in the summer and less than 25 cfs in the winter 
  • Adjusted operations to allow peak flows to remain in the Poudre River in 2/3 of years; equivalent to as much as two billion gallons in some years 
  • During 90 percent of years, little to no diversions will take place during peak flow conditions 
Poudre River near Overland, Fort Collins, CO
Poudre River Stream Channel Commitments  
  • Making trout smile by building four bypass/fish passage structures on the Poudre River downstream of the canyon and one at the Poudre Valley Canal diversion at the canyon mouth 
  • More than 2.4 miles of stream channel improvements  
  • Commitments of nearly $15 million for channel and riparian vegetation improvements
Other Commitments
  • The ability to tailor water quality releases from Glade Reservoir by taking water from different elevations in the reservoir that have cooler water and higher oxygen, which is better for Poudre River health
  • A Poudre River Adaptive Management Program which focuses on mitigation of impacts to fish and wildlife resources and water quality (e.g. temperature) and enhancement of the Poudre River's ecological health
  • Wildlife habitat conservation covering about 1,400 acres around Glade Reservoir
  • Wetlands and endangered species mitigation
  • Recreation/fishery benefits at Glade Reservoir