Poudre SWPP

Collaborating to Protect the Poudre

The Cache la Poudre River is a critical source of drinking water for Northern Colorado, making protection of this watershed essential to maintaining high-quality supplies. Because the Northern Integrated Supply Project (NISP) will depend on the Poudre for future deliveries, our involvement in this effort is vital. 

Northern Water has joined forces with regional partners—including the cities of Fort Collins, Greeley and Thornton, as well as Soldier Canyon Water Treatment Authority—to develop a collaborative Poudre Source Water Protection Plan (SWPP). This plan provides a framework for aligning priorities, coordinating monitoring and funding, and implementing best management practices to reduce risks from potential contamination. Together, partners have identified shared priority areas where joint projects will deliver the greatest benefit. This collaborative approach ensures resources are focused where they matter most for protecting water quality and infrastructure. 

This initiative complements ongoing efforts by numerous partners already active in the watershed. Our shared goal is to preserve the historically pristine water quality of the Poudre River while preparing for future challenges. Through this partnership, we aim to build resilience, safeguard drinking water supplies and enhance watershed health for generations to come.