Donate Subscribe to News
Blog

TAKE ACTION: Don’t Let The River District Become The “Ditch” District”

Hi Poudre River Lovers!

Thank you for checking out our website and for taking action to protect the beautiful Cache la Poudre River!

You may not know this, but the Poudre River through Fort Collins is deeply endangered. Much of its water has already been diverted out, and even more water is proposed to be diverted before the river reaches downtown Fort Collins.

Right now, there are four proposals for new dams, diversions, and pipelines upstream of Fort Collins that would take even more water out the river potentially turning the river in Fort Collins into a muddy, stinking ditch. These new diversions of water would have serious negative impacts on the health of the river, on the forest along the river, on the new Whitewater Park in downtown, and on the fish and ecosystem in the river.

But you can take action to do something about these problems right now!

One of the proposed new dams/diversions is called the “Northern Integrated Supply Project” and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – which has to go through a permit process for the project – recently released the “Final Environmental Impact Statement” for the project and is accepting comments from the public about the proposed permit until October 4th.

Save The Poudre’s excellent team of highly experienced scientists and attorneys has analyzed the Final Environmental Impact Statement and has created a short summary of problems that the Army Corps needs to fix. We will also be sending in a much longer technical letter with our comments, but you can take action to send in a summary of comments that will give you legal standing in the permitting process now and in the future.

Please click here to go to our Action Page and send a comment letter to the Army Corps.

Thank you for visiting, and thank you for Taking Action!

The Save The Poudre Team

Related Posts

MEDIA STATEMENT: Save The Poudre Considering Appeal of Thornton Pipeline Ruling

MEDIA STATEMENT: Save The Poudre Considering Appeal of Thornton Pipeline Ruling 7/7/2025, Contact: Gary Wockner, Save The Poudre On July 3rd, the State District Court judge ruled on our lawsuit against the Thornton Pipeline, siding with the Larimer County Commissioners and Thornton, and against Save The Poudre. The ruling is posted here: https://www.savethepoudre.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/ORDER-REGARDING-PLAINTIFFS-COMPLAINT-FOR-JUDICIAL-REVIEW-UNDER-C.R.C.P.pdf Save The Poudre's statement: "Importantly, we believe the court's ruling contains errors and we are considering an appeal. In addition, Thornton has caused incredible acrimony in Larimer County by pounding this pipeline down the throats of neighborhoods instead of using the Poudre River Option that would enhance the health and recreational opportunities of the Poudre. Further, Thornton's proposed mitigation fund -- likely as little as $5 million from the sale of two of the eight farms they will dry up in Larimer County -- feels more like a slap in the face rather than an earnest offering to heal the conflict and improve the River in exchange for their $500 million project to send 14,000 acre feet of Poudre water to the Denver suburb. In comparison, Northern Water is sending part of their NISP water down the Poudre and collaborated with Save The Poudre to create a $100 million Poudre River Improvement Fund to address the impacts of NISP, which is $2,500 per acre foot. Thornton's pathetic offering is about $360 per acre foot. Thornton had the opportunity to do the right thing and collaborate to help restore the river through Fort Collins, but instead chose the path of conflict and litigation that continues to drain the river." -- Gary Wockner, Save The Poudre ***end***

Save The Poudre Update: We’re Doubling Down Against the Thornton Pipeline!

Hi Amazing Friends of the Poudre River! It's been a wild 10 days since our announcement about the Agreement we reached to stop opposing the Northern Integrated Supply Project (NISP), all of which is still being solidified. Stay tuned for more information about all of that in the coming weeks and months. In the meantime, we're doubling down against the Thornton Pipeline. Yesterday, we filed our opening brief in our lawsuit against the pipeline, in which we made it perfectly loud and clear that Larimer County should have required Thornton to present a "Poudre River Option" for sending its water down the river instead of a pipeline north of Fort Collins. In fact, NISP will be sending about 1/3 of its water down the Poudre River, equaling about 14,000 acre feet, which is nearly the exact same amount of water that Thornton is proposing to put in its pipeline. If NISP can do it, Thornton can also do it! Further, Thornton's water would be during the summer months which would greatly help to make the river cleaner and healthier at the same time that more people are recreating in the river, including at the Whitewater Park in downtown Fort Collins. Rest assured that our work protecting the Poudre is not done and we are still working hard. Thank you for your ongoing support! Gary Wockner, Director, Save The Poudre

PRESS RELEASE: Save The Poudre secures $100 million for “Poudre River Improvement Fund” to end NISP opposition and lawsuit

February 28, 2025 Press Release Contact: Gary Wockner, Save The Poudre, gary.wockner@savethepoudre.org Save The Poudre secures $100 million for “Poudre River Improvement Fund” to end NISP opposition and lawsuit The conservation settlement is likely one of the largest in U.S. history for a river its size and envisions a “Poudre River Water Trail” to transform the lower river into a recreational amenity Fort Collins, CO: Today, Save The Poudre announces that it has entered into an Agreement (posted here) with the Northern Integrated Supply Project Water Activity Enterprise [NISP Enterprise] that will secure $100 million, paid by the NISP Enterprise, for a “Poudre River Improvement Fund” (Fund). In return, Save The Poudre will end its 20-year opposition to NISP and withdraw its lawsuit against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for giving a permit to NISP. The Agreement ends the two-decade long battle over NISP which is a proposed $2.25 billion off-channel reservoir project northwest of Fort Collins that would drain more water out of the Cache la Poudre River to slake the thirst of growing towns in Weld, Larimer, and Boulder counties. The $100 million Fund is likely one of the largest river conservation settlements in U.S. history for a river its size and can provide benefits to the Poudre River from Gateway Park in Poudre Canyon all the way to the confluence with the South Platte River east of Greeley about 50 river-miles downstream. The Agreement specifically supports the potential creation of a “Poudre River Water Trail” that could transform the river into a recreational amenity for tubing, fishing, and boating from Gateway Park downstream to Eastman Park in Windsor. Exhibit A of the Agreement lists 10 types of projects that the Fund can be used for – such as ecological, habitat, and recreational improvements – in addition to describing how the Fund will be managed. Importantly, the $100 million is separate from, and in addition to, the money already committed by NISP in its “2017 Mitigation and Enhancement Plan.” “For 20 years, we have brought attention to the plight of the Poudre River and the impacts on the river that would be caused by NISP,” said Gary Wockner, who has directed Save The Poudre for all of those 20 years. “We are pleased to have reached this Agreement and we look forward to putting the Improvement Fund to work for the health of the river and all of the people who love and enjoy the river in northern Colorado.” Save The Poudre will appoint 3 people to the Fund Committee – which will oversee and direct all of the Fund’s expenditures on projects – and the NISP Enterprise will also appoint 3 people. The Fund will be held in trust at the Community Foundation of Northern Colorado. The NISP Enterprise will pay out a total of $100 million over a 15-year period, with the first payment of $5 million made next week. Mark Easter, who has been the board chair of Save The Poudre since it was…

Back To Top