Questions and Answers

Phase 2 of the project will include additional opportunities for public feedback. Those events, along with additional project updates can be found on the project webpage at speakupgreeley.com/Poudre-river-restoration. Victoria Leonhardt is the project manager, and she can be reached at Victoria.leonhardt@greeleygov.com  

Bringing transformative projects to life is an investment strategy—one that requires the support of Greeley residents and partners. The current project for the master plan process and design is funded through an ARPA grant. As we move forward, we expect the Master Plan to open the door for additional funding opportunities. During Phase 2 of the project, we will have a clearer picture of funding requirements, opportunities, and phasing. 

In addition to grants, we will explore the potential for strategic public/private partnerships. These partnerships could bring in extra funding and expertise, helping us maximize public resources while tapping into private-sector support. 

The Master Plan will help inform our ongoing infrastructure investment decisions. While we would be making infrastructure investments regardless, this plan offers an opportunity to rethink how we approach those investments—specifically, how we can prioritize and design projects that not only improve infrastructure but also enhance and protect the health of the Poudre River. This integrated approach will ensure that our investments are both financially and environmentally responsible 

We’re confident that with grant funding, public/private partnerships, and a careful plan for our infrastructure, we’ll be able to secure the resources needed to complete the projects identified in this Master Plan. We will keep the Greeley community updated and stay open and transparent as we move forward.  

The goal for Phase 2 is to develop buildable, constructible projects. The Poudre River is a treasured resource, and the corridor is highly complex—private property owners, rights of different users to use the river water, stormwater and trail infrastructure, and dynamic ecology are key considerations when identifying feasible solutions. The designs will be rooted in engineering, fluvial geomorphology, and river ecology that works with people and with the river. 

Tools like those listed below often work together to provide a comprehensive approach to flood risk management while enhancing river corridors' social, ecological, and economic value. By utilizing a combination of regulatory measures, ecological restoration, and strategic land use, communities can protect both their residents and natural resources from the growing threats of flooding and environmental degradation. This plan seeks to develop solutions that will benefit both landowners and the Poudre River.  

This plan addresses concerns about the river’s water quality and seeks to enhance safety by re-establishing it as a lively, accessible space. A more social area is also a safer one. Intentional activation along the corridor will likely reduce the frequency of wrongdoing, with more people serving as natural observers. Regular engagement with the river will foster a sense of responsibility, creating a self-reinforcing safety loop. We intend to responsibly bring more people to the river so that it will become a community anchor – a thriving space where safety and well-being are strengthened through collective presence and care. 

The CPRW is a key partner and a member of the project team, and their work on river restoration will be complemented by this project, which has a broader focus that includes Greeley’s infrastructure and transportation connections along the corridor. This plan won’t duplicate CPRW’s work; instead, it aims to enhance it from holistic approach.    

The Poudre River in Greeley City Limits is impacted by upstream activities and flow diversions for irrigation companies and the rights of different users to use the river water. Water rights are a complex system of first in time, first in right. The City of Greeley works with ditch companies and regional partners to assure the Poudre River flows are continued to be improved for wildlife and habitat needs.  

Stormwater flows are not predictable and not considered in terms of restoration designs based on river flow and water rights. While stormwater may have negative impacts when directly discharging into the river, rediverting stormwater flows through riparian vegetation can help with water quality issues and support the landscape.  

While our current Stormwater standards do protect the river, we can always do better. Policy conversations around tools to create a meaningful buffer between the river and new development will take place during Phase 2. The larger concern is the impacts of our older stormwater infrastructure. In tandem with the PRRI Master Plan project, our stormwater team is identifying the largest discharge issues and determining how to solve both flooding and water quality concerns simultaneously.  

While slowing the flow alone is not a Master Plan Principle, a key goal of Phase 2 designs is to reconnect the Poudre River to its floodplain. This outcome will generally slow the flow as the expanded area allows the river to spread out and store more water during high-flow events, which naturally slows down the river. We understand the negative impacts increased flows have had along the Poudre River corridor and will not propose any solutions that further those consequences.  

No. Phase 2 will develop designs for four specific study areas along the Poudre River Corridor based on expected benefits and feasibility as determined by Phase 1. Policy conversations will have a holistic focus on the entire corridor within Greeley City Limits.