2023 Program Highlights

Community collaboration is key to improving and maintaining the ecological health of the Cache la Poudre River - and our community really showed up in 2023! Thank you to our staff, partners, generous donors and volunteers who gave time, energy and dollars to CPRW’s projects over the past year. We would not be able to accomplish all we do without the generosity of this community. We look forward to continuing this important work together in the New Year.

Community support makes a big impact - 2023 highlights & accomplishments

  • Watershed Planning

    • Worked with partners at City of Fort Collins Utilities to finalize the River Health Assessment Framework (RHAF) - available to the public in early 2024!

    • Updated the Upper Poudre Resilience Plan - available to the public in early 2024!

  • Cameron Peak Fire Recovery

    • 4,160 acres treated in the Cameron Peak burn area using "point mitigation" to reduce erosion and improve water quality

    • 84 point mitigation structures and 1 armored crossing installed in the Cameron Peak burn area

    • 8,100 ponderosa pine trees planted and 150,000+ local ponderosa pine seeds collected in the Poudre River Watershed

  • Forest Program

    • Treated the remaining 60 acres of Swanson Ranch in collaboration with Larimer Conservation District (LCD) to reduce wildfire risk and protect communities

    • Led 15 acres of wildfire mitigation treatment at Ben Delatour Scout Ranch, cut and piled by Larimer County Conservation Corps (LCCC) members

    • CPRW led treatment of 13 acres at the WOLF Sanctuary, cut and piled by The Ember Alliance

    • Active member of the Northern Colorado Fireshed Collaborative with multiple staff serving in Fireshed leadership roles

    • Started work on a 50 acre forest restoration project on the Lazy D Ranch in partnership with LCD

  • River Program

    • Completed hydraulic modeling for the Whitney-B.H. Eaton reach of the Lower Poudre River

    • Continued design for Reach 13 and Reach 16 on the Lower Poudre River to improve floodplain connection and aquatic habitat

  • Science & Monitoring

    • Nine Citizen Scientist volunteers donated more than 240 hours for water quality monitoring in the Upper Poudre Watershed

    • 32 water quality sampling sites throughout the Upper Watershed

  • Community Outreach

    • 11,200+ citizens engaged at education and outreach events throughout the year

    • Served on the planning committee and co-hosted the annual Poudre RiverFest – approx. 2,000 attendees

    • 259 volunteers donated 1,298 hours of time to CPRW projects

    • Completed a community-based mural project at Chappelow Arts Magnet School inspired by the Cache la Poudre River

Megan Maiolo-Heath