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