Cache la Poudre River Watershed
The Cache la Poudre River Watershed drains approximately 1,889 square miles above the canyon mouth west of Fort Collins, Colorado. The watershed supports the Front Range cities of Fort Collins, Greeley, Timnath and Windsor. In an average year, the watershed provides approximately 274,000 acre feet of water. More than 80 percent of the production occurs during the peak snowmelt months of April through July.
Poudre River Facts
The watershed supports water supply for more than 330,000 residents and helps maintain ~185,000 acres of irrigated and dry agricultural land.
The Poudre River Watershed is 1,209,012 acres – about the size of the state of Rhode Island.
The Poudre River is 126 miles long, from the headwaters in Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) to the confluence with the South Platte River just east of Greeley.
There are 11 mountain reservoirs in the Upper Cache la Poudre Watershed. Joe Wright Reservoir sits at the highest elevation (9,900 feet).
In the 1860s the Cache la Poudre River became one of the first rivers tapped for irrigation in Colorado.
Water is pulled from the Poudre River at more than two dozen points. The river is a major water source for area water districts and ditch companies, as well as the cities of Fort Collins and Greeley.
The Cache la Poudre River is Colorado’s only Wild and Scenic River and was designated in October of 1986. Thirty miles of the river are classified as Wild and 45 miles are classified Recreational. No new dams or diversions can be built within these designated corridors.
The Poudre River supports a $950k-$2.7M whitewater industry and a recreational fishing industry that brings $3-4 million per year into the county.
The Poudre River supports a brewing industry that brings in $2.13 million in net tax revenue and supports 1,272 jobs, and is estimated to bring in $143 million (direct and indirect economic benefits) into the Fort Collins economy.
The name Cache la Poudre, is French for "hide the powder," referring to an incident in the 1820's when French Trappers caught in a snowstorm buried part of their gunpowder along the river banks.
The Cache la Poudre Watershed is an important drainage in the Front Range. At 1,219,038 acres, it is one of the largest drainages in northern Colorado.
Photo taken near I-25 during an assessment of the lower Poudre river.
National Heritage area
The Cache la Poudre River was also designated a National Heritage Area by Congress in 1996 due to its rich history of early settlers. Their efforts resulted in contributions to agriculture, engineering and law, which advanced the settlement of northern Colorado and the West (Poudre Heritage Alliance, 2013).
Photo of the Poudre River near Kinikinik
High quality drinking water
The Poudre watershed provides our communities with high quality and affordable drinking water. The City of Fort Collins- Utilities monitors water quality in three areas:
Source water supply: Upper Cache la Poudre River and Horsetooth Reservoir (where our water comes from)
Treated drinking water
Treated water returned to the environment and the Lower Poudre River above and below the water reclamation facilities
One of the biggest risks to water quality in the watershed is high severity wildfire.