Wildfire in the Watershed

Trees torching at the High Park Wildfire on the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland on Thursday, June 17, 2012. (Photo credit: US Dept. of Agriculture)

Trees torching at the High Park Wildfire on the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland on Thursday, June 17, 2012. (Photo credit: US Dept. of Agriculture)

The Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed (CPRW) was formed as a result of the Hewlett Gulch and High Park Fires that occurred during the summer of 2012 and burned 95,172 acres of the upper watershed. Severe erosion, higher than normal runoff volume, and debris flows all contributed to extreme degradation of water quality in the mainstem and tributaries of the Cache la Poudre Watershed. This in turn impaired not only instream ecological health but also threatened critical water supply infrastructure. The Upper Poudre River Watershed supplies drinking and industrial water to much of the northern Front Range and is the principal source of raw water for the cities of Fort Collins and Greeley. After the fire, sediment and turbidity levels prevented the cities from using the Poudre as a source of drinking water supply, particularly after summer storm events.

The High Park Fire was a call to action for many organizations in Larimer County. Shortly after the fires began, a group of natural resource agencies, nonprofits, representatives from the cities of Fort Collins and Greeley, Larimer County local businesses, and individuals gathered to discuss how they could work together to rehabilitate the lands affected by the burn. Initially formed as an informal network known as the High Park Restoration Coalition, the group was successful at identifying the top priorities for restoration efforts, finding funding to implement the plans, and training volunteers to help with implementation. Based on the success of these early efforts, in May 2013, members of the High Park Restoration Coalition organization evolved into a formal nonprofit coalition, the Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed (CPRW), with the goal of providing leadership and coordination for the collaborative stewardship of the Cache La Poudre River Watershed.

About Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed (CPRW)

CPRW is a 501(c)3 non-profit based in Fort Collins, Colorado. 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, and local government. Our stakeholder committees 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. 

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