Larimer County Integrates Wildlife Protection With Land Conservation Efforts
Larimer County has partnered with Colorado Parks and Wildlife and state agencies for over a decade to establish instream flow water rights that protect stream ecosystems, extending beyond county-owned properties to coordinate watershed management across Northern Colorado's high country.
The collaborative effort has designated instream flow rights on all eligible county-owned open spaces and nearly all conserved lands through conservation easements, according to Zach Wiebe from the county's Department of Natural Resources, who addressed commissioners October 20 during a work session on the East Fork Roaring Creek instream flow recommendation.
"We have partnered with CPW and CWCB to dedicate really unique water right in the state of Colorado through instream flow protection," Wiebe said. "To date we have evaluated in all cases and with few exceptions, actually designated that right on every stream that is eligible on our open spaces."
The partnership now extends beyond properties directly owned or managed by Larimer County to support stream protections across the region, demonstrating an evolution in the county's watershed stewardship mission.
East Fork Roaring Creek Protects Threatened Species
Colorado Parks and Wildlife recommended a new instream flow water right for East Fork Roaring Creek, a tributary of the Poudre River near Cameron Pass, to protect federally threatened greenback cutthroat trout that survived the Cameron Peak Fire.
The recommendation proposes minimum flows of one cubic foot per second during winter months and 2.9 cubic feet per second during summer to maintain habitat for the native fish species, which is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
"Our main goal in these instream flows is usually fisheries conservation, protecting waters that will support the fisheries," said Katie Burch, instream flow program specialist with Colorado Parks and Wildlife. "And in the South Platte Basin we're particularly interested in greenback cutthroat trout."
CPW biologists confirmed greenback cutthroat populations survived the 2020 Cameron Peak Fire that burned through portions of the watershed. Follow-up sampling documented fish persisting in the stream during three site visits since the fire, with recruitment surveys planned for next year to confirm self-sustaining populations.
The East Fork Roaring Creek recommendation follows a similar 2023 instream flow designation for Williams Gulch, another Poudre River tributary supporting greenback cutthroat restoration efforts.
Decade-Long Partnership Protects Northern Colorado Watersheds
The collaboration between Larimer County, the Colorado Water Conservation Board and Colorado Parks and Wildlife has systematically protected eligible stream reaches on county properties since approximately 2015, creating a framework for watershed protection tied to land conservation.
After completing designations on county-owned open spaces, the partners turned attention to streams flowing through properties protected by conservation easements held by the county. Those designations are now substantially complete, according to Wiebe.
Colorado's instream flow program, established by Senate Bill 73-097 in 1973, grants the Colorado Water Conservation Board exclusive authority to appropriate water rights to preserve and improve natural stream environments. The program has protected more than 9,700 miles of streams and 480 natural lakes across Colorado, according to CWCB data.
In the South Platte River Basin, which includes the Poudre River watershed, over 420 stream reaches and approximately 2,200 stream miles are protected under instream flow rights, representing the most protected miles among Colorado's major river basins.
"Even though the one you'll hear today doesn't have a direct nexus with our department or our ownership, it's still promotes and furthers our mission to steward healthy watersheds and riparian corridors," Wiebe told commissioners.
The partnership approach recognizes that watershed health extends across ownership boundaries, requiring coordination between local governments, state agencies and federal land managers including the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service.
Three-Year Process Ensures Public Input and Water Availability
Instream flow recommendations undergo a minimum three-year review process from initial concept to final water court decree, with extensive public notice and opportunity for input at multiple stages.
The process begins with a recommending entity like Colorado Parks and Wildlife collecting field data, conducting biological surveys and developing flow recommendations. The CWCB then conducts independent analysis of water availability, evaluates potential impacts to existing water rights and seeks input from affected water users.
"The entire time the public is involved," said Marielle Seidel, hydrologist with the Colorado Water Conservation Board. "If there's any questions, any concerns, anything that they're uncertain about, they can reach out to us and we're very available."
The CWCB board must make three statutory findings before approving an instream flow water right: that a natural environment exists requiring protection, that water is physically and legally available for the appropriation, and that no material injury will occur to existing water rights.
For East Fork Roaring Creek, the CWCB anticipates presenting the recommendation to its board in January 2026 for preliminary review, with final action expected by May 2026 if no significant objections emerge during public comment periods.
The proposed instream flow right would be junior to existing water rights in the Poudre River system, meaning senior water users retain priority under Colorado's prior appropriation doctrine. The CWCB uses conservative median flow analysis rather than average flows to ensure adequate water remains available for existing uses.
Water Rights Support Broader Conservation Strategy
Larimer County's conservation easement program and open space acquisitions work in tandem with instream flow designations to protect riparian corridors and watershed health across tens of thousands of acres in Northern Colorado.
Conservation easements restrict development on private lands while keeping properties in productive use for agriculture or other compatible purposes. Instream flow rights protect minimum water levels in associated streams and lakes to sustain aquatic habitat.
The complementary tools address both land use and water availability, creating more comprehensive protections than either mechanism alone could achieve.
Commissioner Jody Shadduck-McNally, who chairs the Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed's annual tree planting efforts in the Cameron Peak Fire burn area, expressed support for the East Fork Roaring Creek recommendation.
"This is great news and excited to for this recommendation," Shadduck-McNally said following the presentation.
The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission and Colorado Water Conservation Board approved similar fish and wildlife mitigation plans for the Halligan Reservoir expansion project in 2023, demonstrating the integration of water development and environmental protection in Northern Colorado water management.
Additional information about the East Fork Roaring Creek instream flow recommendation is available through the Colorado Water Conservation Board at cwcb.colorado.gov or by contacting CWCB instream flow staff.