On Friday, March 6 the Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area hosted the Poudre River Forum where voices from across the region came together in the spirit of collaboration. This event was held from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Aims Community College Welcome Center in Greeley, Colorado.
The annual Poudre River Forum is a neutral space for discussion and idea generation in support of a healthy, working river, while fostering collaboration across disciplines.
This year’s event recognized the people, places, actions, and discoveries that have shaped – and continue to shape – the basin. Around 250 attendees had the opportunity to interact with dynamic panels, network with water professionals, explore current Poudre River Basin initiatives, and connect with others who care about the river at exhibitor booths.
Morning sessions focused on understanding how water is managed across the region. Representatives from the Colorado Division of Water Resources walked attendees through the intricate process of administering water rights, coordinating diversions, and monitoring flows along the river. Their discussion offered a glimpse into the life of a water commissioner in Colorado. Stay tuned for a blog post “A Day and Night in the Life of a Water Commissioner in Colorado”!
”A day and a night in the life of a commissioner—you don’t stop thinking about it. I dream about opening and closing headgates.
David BridgeLead Water Commissioner with the Colorado Division of Water Resources
Later sessions explored water law fundamentals, helping attendees better understand the legal frameworks behind water in Colorado.
The 2026 Poudre Pioneer Award was presented to Dale Trowbridge, retired General Manager of the New Cache la Poudre Irrigating Company. Trowbridge reflected on decades of work in Northern Colorado’s water community and shared lessons on trust, collaboration, and life.
“There’s not much in this life that gets done by yourself,” Trowbridge said. “It’s we; not I.”
The afternoon sessions focused on innovation and collaboration in addressing the basin’s water challenges. A long-awaited conversation between Brad Wind of Northern Water and Gary Wockner of Save the Poudre highlighted the value of dialogue between groups from different perspectives. The conversation emphasized the importance of finding common ground and maintaining ongoing communication.
“The future of the Poudre River is in this room,” said Wockner.
“It’s making the first phone call. You’ve got to keep picking up the phone and making time to have those tough conversations,” said Wind.
Panelists also explored how Colorado’s water culture continues to evolve as communities balance agricultural and municipal needs, outdated diversion structures, and collaborative flow programs.
The final panel of the day focused on the Poudre Flows Initiative, a collaborative effort involving municipalities, nonprofits, and water managers working together to support the ecological health and water delivery needs of the river. Panelists—including representatives from the City of Fort Collins, City of Greeley, water conservation organizations, and legal experts—discussed innovative approaches that allow water to be measured, partially used, and returned to the river to enhance flows.
These conversations highlighted a key takeaway from the day: progress on complex water issues often comes from bringing diverse perspectives into the same room.
”I really like water court. Getting different opinions in the room can be difficult but it's also an opportunity to teach each other.
Leah HubbardDeputy Director of Water Resources at the City of Greeley
Throughout the Forum, participants were reminded that the future of the Cache la Poudre River depends on continued collaboration. The event concluded with closing remarks and a networking reception with beverages from Horse & Dragon Brewing Company, giving attendees the opportunity to continue conversations and strengthen relationships across Northern Colorado’s water community.
Thank you to our local and U.S. legislators in attendance for caring about water issues in Colorado and being a part of the solution.
A huge shoutout to all our sponsors for making this event possible, including Merrick & Company, Northern Water, City of Greeley and Fort Collins Natural Areas. And thank you to the Aims Community College event staff.
View the full event agenda and presentations.
