Mitigation and Enhancement Plan

Plan Benefits Streams, Wildlife and Environment

The NISP Fish and Wildlife Mitigation and Enhancement Plan – approved by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission, Colorado Water Conservation Board and former Gov. John Hickenlooper in 2017 – commits Northern Water to countless project elements that will benefit stream flows, wildlife and the natural environment we all enjoy.

We’re proud of our commitment to approximately $60 million in environmental mitigation and enhancements that contributed to the State of Colorado’s Water Quality Division finding that “no significant degradation is expected as part of the project.” 

Among these commitments include: 

River Stream Flow Commitments

• Year-round water releases from Glade Reservoir, which will improve stream flows and eliminate existing dry-up points in the Poudre River through downtown Fort Collins
• Leaving more water in the Poudre River when flows are less than 50 cfs in the summer and less than 25 cfs in the winter
• Adjusting operations to allow peak flows to remain in the Poudre River in 2/3 of years; equivalent to as much as two billion gallons in some years
• During 90 percent of years, little to no diversions will take place during peak flow conditions. 

Poudre River Stream Channel Commitments

• Making trout smile by building four bypass/fish passage structures through Fort Collins and one at the Poudre Valley Canal diversion at the canyon mouth
• More than 2.4 miles of stream channel improvements on two reaches 
• Commitments of nearly $8 million for channel and riparian vegetation improvements

Other Commitments

• Wildlife habitat conservation covering about 1,400 acres around Glade Reservoir
• Wetlands and endangered species mitigation
• Recreation/fishery benefits at Glade Reservoir