How We Work: Collaboration Key to Success

The Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed (CPRW) provides leadership and coordination for the collaborative stewardship of the Cache la Poudre River Watershed. Our mission is to improve and maintain the ecological health of the Poudre River watershed through community collaboration. Our stakeholders have expertise in restoration science, ecology, collaboration, forestry, local government and business and include representatives from the US Forest Service, Colorado State University, Larimer County, City of Fort Collins, City of Greeley, Colorado State Forest Service, Town of Windsor, and Weld County among others.

Our work is guided by the the term “resilience” - the ability to recover quickly from difficulties or challenges. When rivers are more resilient, they are better prepared for flooding and wildfire and more likely to recover in a cost-effective and timely manner. We achieve our river resiliency goals by working collaboratively, carefully planning, implementing science-based restoration techniques, and watching how this work impacts the watershed over the long-term.

How We Work

Collaborate

We work with partners and stakeholders, including state and federal land management agencies, local non-profits, private businesses and landowners, to accomplish our mission. By utilizing collaboration and the best available science, we are able to effectively plan and implement projects throughout the watershed.

Plan

With careful watershed planning, we can do more than just protect the water, plants and animals that depend on the Poudre River. 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, we have completed resiliency plans for both the Upper and Lower Cache la Poudre River watersheds. We use these plans to guide our work across the watershed.

Restore

Using the Upper Poudre and Lower Poudre Resiliency Plans as our guide, we implement high priority restoration projects across the Poudre River Watershed. Our implementation programs range from wildfire mitigation to post-fire restoration and river resiliency work.

CPRW’s river restoration work is conducted to improve the environmental health of the Poudre River, in support of biodiversity, recreation, flood management and/or landscape development.

Since the High Park and Hewlett Gulch Fires in 2012, and the most recent Cameron Peak Fire of 2020, we continue to implement post-fire restoration projects in the upper watershed. These projects are focused on both reducing erosion and preventing excess sediment from entering the river, stabilizing stream banks, protecting important infrastructure, and reestablishing native vegetation.

Watch

We evaluate the conditions of the Poudre River Watershed’s water resources through a range of collaborative monitoring efforts with partners and citizen scientists. These monitoring efforts incorporate water quality as well as watershed conditions. Data collected can be used for many purposes, such as determining source(s) of impairment, to provide input for management tools, and to support scientifically-based decisions for preserving or improving the quality of the Poudre River.

Community members are critical to the success of our work. Learn more about how you can volunteer or consider making a donation to support CPRW’s work throughout the Cache la Poudre River Watershed.