Northern Colorado Getting New Dam/Reservoir North of Fort Collins

Glade Reservoir, coming to Northern Colorado, will bring water to communities and recreation to the area. $100 million will also be going to help protect the Poudre River.

New Dam Construction for Glade Reservoir in Northern Colorado Coming 2026

For nearly 20 years, if you've lived in Northern Colorado, you've probably heard the phrase or seen the stickers: "Save the Poudre." That campaign fought hard to keep a dam from being built.

The dam is coming, but the group did get a lot of money to help the Poudre River.

While the dam for Chimney Hollow Reservoir is nearing completion west of Carter Lake, Glade Reservoir's dam, north of Fort Collins, won't begin getting filled until closer to 2029. By that time, the area's population will be more than ready to access and use that water.

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About seven miles northwest of Fort Collins, along the Poudre River, they will be building a dam to divert water into Glade Reservoir which will be 170,000 acre-feet. That's nearly twice Chimney Hollow's 90,000 acre-feet, and more than Horsetooth Reservoir's 156,00 acre-feet.

Creating this dam and reservoir will mean moving a seven-mile stretch of Highway 287 to the eastside of Glade Reservoir and then back around to its current route up the Poudre Canyon.

The Coloradan has a great article about how they're going to try and move Fort Collins' famous Haystack Rock, because that's where all the water will be going. Hundreds of people have left messages on the rock over the years.

$100 Million Settlement Makes Glade Reservoir Possible

Northern Water agreed to a settlement with Save the Poudre, who were suing to prevent the dam and reservoir for nearly 20 years. With the settlement Northern Water will be putting $100 million towards efforts to protect and improve the Poudre River.

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Glade Reservoir (along with the Galeton Reservoir,) will provide water for 15 communities. Glade Reservoir will also provide recreation in the area (which could bring in $30 million each year to the local economy) and will include a wildlife conservation habitat.