Northern Water staff and regional partners have started the difficult work of post-fire restoration following a pair of wildfires that began in late July near Colorado-Big Thompson Project (C-BT) infrastructure and the Chimney Hollow Reservoir Project. 

The Alexander Mountain Fire started July 29 north of U.S. Highway 34 in the Big Thompson Canyon and burned nearly 10,000 acres before crews reached full containment on Aug. 17. The Stone Canyon Fire ignited on July 30 north of Lyons and burned 1,557 acres before being contained on Aug. 5. Due to the proximity to the Chimney Hollow construction site, crews were evacuated for six days.  

Both fires pose future challenges to water quality in the C-BT Project because they burned to the edge of canals that deliver water to Northern Colorado communities. In the case of the Alexander Mountain Fire, some of the hillsides affected by flames could drain directly into the Hansen Feeder Canal that transports water from Flatiron Reservoir to Loveland’s Green Ridge Glade Reservoir, Horsetooth Reservoir and on to several other water users. When officials determined it was safe, a contractor for Northern Water started to apply a reseeding mixture to the hillsides to promote new growth, as well as filtration wattles to catch ash and debris before they could enter the canal.