Campus Development

Building For Our Future

As a public agency that operates water delivery projects and promotes conservation, Northern Water currently employs more than 180 people between its Berthoud headquarters and West Slope facilities located in Grand County. Our employees work to bring clean, supplemental water to municipalities, industries and farmers through the Colorado-Big Thompson and Windy Gap projects. However, these operations have grown more complex as we integrate contemporary water collection and delivery challenges into our daily operations. Additionally, our region is growing and we are designing new projects to meet future demands. These needs require increased personnel, additional and updated offices, and new equipment facilities. 

As we plan for growth within our organization, Northern Water completed a Master Plan in January 2020 to identify various projects for expansion on our Berthoud campus, as well as the need for the new Willow Creek Campus near Granby for West Slope staff. 

Berthoud Headquarters

When built in 2003, Northern Water’s Berthoud campus was sized to accommodate 15 years of growth. The campus originally consisted of six buildings including the headquarters office building, maintenance facilities, conservation gardens and the Colorado-Big Thompson Project Interpretive Area. While the facilities are in excellent condition and have worked well for our needs, we have outgrown the space. 

Construction on the project throughout the past four years included renovation of the main headquarters building, the addition of an operations and maintenance building, a new training and storage building, and an outdoor education pavilion. Improvements were also made to the Conservation Campus, where demonstrations of efficient water use are on display throughout the grounds. At the center of the campus, the Conservation Gardens offer templates for water wise use, with plants chosen because of their beauty and suitability for the Front Range climate.  

Willow Creek Campus

In September 2022, West Slope employees moved into the new Willow Creek Campus, the first Northern Water office and maintenance complex on the West Slope. Employees worked out of various locations, including Farr and Windy Gap pump plants, since Farr Pump Plant was constructed from 1947 to 1951. The new building offers a mix of office and fleet maintenance space, as well as a control room to allow staff to manage Northern Water facilities.