Work with stakeholders, partners and landowners to advance our education and outreach efforts around the benefits of river restoration across the watershed. Collaborate with CSU researchers and CPRW citizen scientists to collect data and monitor the success of the project.

Secure permissions from USFS and private landowners to implement the project.

LTPB restoration work kicks off - installing the first structures along South Fork.

Install low-tech process-based structures (LTPB) in Elkhorn Creek and Lone Pine.

How we are Reviving the Upper River Poudre Watershed | VLOG

The Cache la Poudre River, generally known as the “Poudre,” is part of the South Platte River basin. The Poudre spans approximately 140 miles and serves around 300,000 people in northern Colorado. The river originates in Rocky Mountain National Park and flows through the Roosevelt National Forest, eventually passing through Fort Collins and joining the South Platte River near Greeley.

The upper reaches of the Poudre are designated as “Wild & Scenic,” providing important recreational opportunities and supporting a range of wildlife.

The Poudre River and its tributaries are a network of waterways that provide habitat for fish, plants and insects that include grasses, rushes, and sedges as well as shrubs and trees that grow along its banks.

The rich riparian ecosystems along the Poudre River host a diverse array of biodiversity and support numerous natural processes and functions. This vibrant water course provides essential habitats for a variety of insects, amphibians, fish, and other species, including the threatened Preble’s Meadow Jumping Mouse, wood frogs, and potentially the Boreal Toad. The natural vegetation, including cottonwoods, aspens and native willows, are essential for providing food, shelter and breeding grounds for these species. 

Healthy riparian zones also play a crucial role in mitigating flooding, helping to maintain water quality and stabilising stream banks. In addition, trees and vegetation along the riverbanks create shade, which in turn helps control water temperatures, prevents erosion of their root systems and contributes to organic material that supports aquatic life. Maintaining an ideal balance of shade and sunlight is essential in sustaining healthy aquatic plant life and overall ecosystem health.

The Poudre River faces significant challenges due to physical alterations, pollution, and sedimentation from surrounding land use. Agricultural runoff, livestock access and historical land management practices have led to habitat degradation. Besides this, the widespread removal of beavers from many of these streams has led to a loss in their function to store sediment, reduce flood and fire risk, and support adequate wildlife.

Wildfires, such as the 2012 High Park and 2020 Cameron Peak fires, have further exacerbated these issues, causing erosion, debris flows and deteriorating water quality. These factors collectively threaten the overall resilience of the riparian ecosystems.

Removal of the Beaver, a Keystone Species

The beaver (Castor canadensis) is a keystone species that plays a vital role in maintaining the ecological health and biodiversity of the Poudre River. Through their dam-building activities, they create and enhance wetland habitats, which many other species rely on. Their presence transforms river and stream habitats into varied, rich environments that support numerous insects, amphibians, fish, and other wildlife. Additionally, beaver activity helps stabilise stream banks, reduce erosion, and improve water quality by trapping sediments and pollutants.

Furthermore, the wetlands created by beaver dams are significant in mitigating flooding by slowing down water flow and increasing groundwater recharge. By maintaining these dynamic habitats, beavers enhance the resilience of the Poudre River ecosystem to changes, such as the impacts of climate change.

The historical decline of beaver populations due to hunting and habitat destruction has led to profound ecological consequences. In North America, estimates say that beaver populations have declined by 80% to 98% since pre-European settlement, compounding issues such as increased erosion, degraded water quality and loss of habitat diversity.

Despite their ecological importance, Colorado state law allows for beavers to be hunted and killed if they damage property. This legal framework creates a conflict between human interests and ecological preservation, highlighting the need for policies that balance property protection with the conservation of essential species.

The primary objective of this project is to restore sections (both burnt and unburnt) of the Cache la Poudre River and its tributaries, such as Elkhorn Creek and South Lone Pine, to improve ecological health and habitat connectivity.

Installation of LTPBR structures: Use Low-Tech Process-Based Restoration (LTPBR) structures, such as post-assisted log structures and beaver dam analogues, to enhance water flow diversity, create new wetland areas and provide habitat complexity.

Livestock management: Implement livestock fencing (if needed) and create buffer strips to reduce encroachment along the tributaries.

Riparian tree management and planting: Planting native willow and cottonwood trees to regulate water temperatures and stabilise banks, to help restore the riparian habitat.

Enhanced habitat diversity and complexity 

Improved sediment storage potential as LTPBR structures capture sediment 

Improved water quality as riparian and wetland ecosystems help to filter pollutants and trap sediment

Increased resilience to severe wildfires and flooding 

A more engaged community that is aware of the benefits of this type of restoration and the conservation/enhancement of wetlands and riparian areas

Sustained health and resilience of riparian and wetland ecosystems which will contribute to the overall health of the watershed.  Beavers would come back into the system and build off the installed structures and maintaining the ecological integrity of the site(s)

This project aims to serve as a flagship restoration effort, inspiring public interest and contributing to the long-term health and resilience of the Cache la Poudre River and its watershed. By addressing critical threats and implementing targeted restoration efforts in partnership with the Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed (CPRW), we aim to create a healthier, more resilient Poudre River ecosystem that benefits both wildlife and the surrounding communities for generations to come.

The project kicked off with CPRW on the ground installing the first round of low tech processed based structures at the South Fork tributary of the Cache la Poudre River in fall 2024.

Community and key stakeholder involvement is an important component of this project, which will influence buy-in from land managers, private landowners and the local community. There are several priority areas located on private land and the concepts behind low-tech process-based restoration are still relatively new to some land managers and private landowners in the watershed, so the data and experience with completing these projects will need to be shared widely. 

Ways in which this project aims to create engagement, include:

Collaborating with CSU researchers and community scientists in data collection on water quality and pre and post project monitoring via photo points, cross sections and vegetation surveys. 

Organising regular meetings with private landowners and local community members to update on the project's progress. Additionally, CPRW will meet with local road association in the project area to share project plans and updates.

Running tours at similar projects completed in 2021-2023 to showcase examples of low-tech process-based restoration 1-2 years after construction.

Engaging with the local press from local news sources like the Fort Collins Coloradoan & North Forty News to CBS and/or 9News in Denver, Co.

The work of CPRW is under the guidance of the Upper Poudre Stakeholder Committee, which meets quarterly and includes representatives from the US Forest Service, Colorado State Forest Service, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, local municipalities, county government, researchers, landowners, and non-profit organisations.

Reviving the Upper River Poudre Watershed - PROJECT DISCUSSION

Flora Hentz, Partnership Project Coordinator, Mossy Earth

Hally Strevey, Executive Director, Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed

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USA_001_RIVER POUDRE Rewilding management plan_CPRW.pdf

We're partnering with the CPRW to restore riverine and wetland functions in priority areas of the Upper River Poudre Watershed in Colorado.

Reviving a watershed

Protecting water quality, restoring beaver habitat and building resilience to wildfires and floods on the Upper River Poudre Watershed

The Cache la Poudre River is a vital watercourse originating from Rocky Mountain National Park and flowing through northern Colorado. This river and its tributaries support a rich diversity of wildlife and provide vital resources for the surrounding communities. However, recent wildfires and historical land use have significantly degraded parts of the river, threatening water quality and habitat integrity.

In partnership with the Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed, we are focusing on restoring riverine and wetland functions in landscape 'pearls' - priority areas of the watershed. Through interventions such as installing low-tech process-based structures and engaging key stakeholder and community groups, this project aims to achieve a myriad of benefits: reduced sedimentation; protected water quality; strengthened resilience to floods and wildfires; and improved ecosystem connectivity and health.

In October 2024, our on the ground partners began installing low-tech process-based structures (LTPBs) along South Fork, which included:

12 Engineered Log Jams (ELJs) - trees intentionally placed in the watercourse that are designed to mimic a log jam. They use posts that are driven into the channel for extra stabilisation. 

10 Log Structures (LS) that are the same as ELJs but without the driven posts. 

18 roughness features, which are 3-5 limbed trees placed in the floodplain to act as additional speed bumps to over-bank flows (expected in spring).

Here is an example of each type of structure installed during October's groundwork. For more images of the works, head back to the project page.

Installing log jams, log structures & roughness features

In October 2024, work began to install low-tech process-based structures along South Fork.

Reviving a Watershed

Installing log jams, log structures & roughness features