Mitigation and Enhancement Plan

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 countless project elements that will benefit stream flows, wildlife and the natural environment we all enjoy.

$60 Million in Environmental Mitigation and Enhancements

We’re proud of our commitment to approximately $60 million in environmental mitigation and enhancements that contributed to the State of Colorado’s Water Quality Division finding that “no significant degradation is expected as part of the project.” Among these:

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
• Leaving more water in the Poudre River when flows are less than 50 cfs in the summer and less than 25 cfs in the winter
• Adjusting 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 Stream Channel Commitments 

• Making trout smile by building four bypass/fish passage structures through Fort Collins and one at the Poudre Valley Canal diversion at the canyon mouth
• More than 2.4 miles of stream channel improvements on two reaches 
• Commitments of nearly $8 million for channel and riparian vegetation improvements

Other Commitments

• Wildlife habitat conservation covering about 1,400 acres around Glade Reservoir
• Wetlands and endangered species mitigation
• Recreation/fishery benefits at Glade Reservoir