The Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed staff and partners have some big plans for 2024, and a lot of this work will require the time and energy of our volunteer base. We hope you will join us as we continue our mission to improve and maintain the ecological health of the Poudre River Watershed through community collaboration!

Some of the things we are looking forward to in 2024 include:

Watershed Planning

With careful watershed planning, we can help protect the physical, chemical, and biological components of our watershed and restore those that have already been degraded.

With our stakeholder committees and partners, the following plans will be published in 2024 to help guide our future work:

The River Health Assessment Framework (RHAF) - A framework for collecting monitoring data, with the goal of guiding restoration and management actions for the entire watershed.
An updated Upper Poudre Resilience Plan - to identify target areas and determine priorities and actions within those areas that would increase watershed resilience.
Lower Poudre River Restoration Planning - Using a science-based approach plus collaborative planning with partners and landowners in the Lower Poudre Watershed, we will complete a 30% design of Reach 16 and 60% design of Reach 13 (downstream reach).

Cameron Peak Wildfire Recovery

Working with our recovery partners, including the US Forest Service and the City of Greeley, we will continue Cameron Peak Fire recovery work in the upper watershed. We currently have five new process-based restoration projects and one road repair in planning with construction beginning in the spring. The overarching goal of these projects is to attend to post fire water quality problems and maintain the health and function of the river ecosystem while also mitigating impacts to communities. This will be achieved through the promotion of floodplain connectivity, nutrient uptake, and sediment deposition provided by process-based restoration methods.

Forest Management & Wildfire Mitigation

Working with partners in the Northern Colorado Fireshed Collaborative (NCFC), our Forests Program has 100+ acres of collaborative management planned, including mechanical and hand thinning treatments. The goal of this work is to modify potential wildfire behavior to protect nearby communities, safeguard water resources and forest health, and to increase stewardship workforce capacity for the region.

Reforestation & Cone Collection

As part of our collaborative reforestation efforts in the Poudre Watershed, we have 2,500 trees ordered for spring 2024 with plans to plant more in the fall! Plus, we will continue cone collection efforts to boost local seed supplies, all in an effort to replant and restore forests burned in the High Park and Cameron Peak fires. Volunteers are needed for this work - stay tuned for upcoming tree planting and cone collection days.

Community Science Water Quality Monitoring

CPRW’s Community Science Program utilizes volunteers to gather baseline water quality data throughout the Upper Poudre River Watershed and to track potential changes following wildfires and prescribed burns. In 2024, we will continue to manage and grow our Community* Science program to measure the impact of our work on water quality in the Upper Watershed. Volunteers are needed for this work - stay tuned for updates on this program and how to get involved!

Poudre River Clean Ups

Help us keep the Poudre River clean for current and future generations! Our first clean up of the year is scheduled for April 13, 2024 with Odell Brewing. Stay tuned for more details!

2nd Annual Take Me to the River Fundraiser - June 20

Save the date and join us on June 20th at the Hillside Vineyard and Event Center for our 2nd Annual Take Me to the River fundraiser to support CPRW’s programs and projects throughout the Poudre Watershed. More details to come soon!

Poudre River Fest - August 10

CPRW is excited to co-host the Poudre RiverFest on August 10, 2024 at New Belgium Brewing Company in Old Town Fort Collins. The Poudre RiverFest is a free, family-friendly festival that celebrates the Poudre River, promotes restoration, and educates people about our river corridor, an important natural resource in our community.

The Year Ahead: CPRW's 2024 Plans and How To Get Involved