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Poudre River

Aug 19
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Volunteer of the Month: Kenton Daubert

By News
Our work would not be possible without the volunteers that donate their valuable time, talents and energy to making our programs successful. Thank you to each and every person that has become a part of the Poudre Heritage Alliance family through volunteering. Now, please meet Kenton Daubert, our Volunteer of the Month!

 

Hello to everyone! My name is Kenton Daubert and I reside in Greeley, CO. I got involved at Poudre Heritage Alliance as a Heritage Culturalist while attending a presentation at Farr Library in November 2016 about the Volga German – Russian immigration, which I am a descendant. There was a slip of paper on a table about PHA which I thought that I would enjoy being a part of. Jordan contacted me in April 2018 and asked if I would be interested in being a part of PHA. I replied “Yes I am”. I was fortunate by being given an opportunity to be an intern from May 17, 2018 until March 30, 2019. At that time Jordan informed me that PHA would be happy to have me continue as a volunteer. Since then I have been serving in this capacity.

 

Reasons I enjoy working with PHA are there is so much to learn concerning the culture of this area. Water is a very important concern to everyone in the world. I recommend that if a person can attend the West Slope and East Slope tours that Northern Water provides to do so. They are highly informational! I have attended many Pub Talks and have learned lots about the Poudre River from the early days of colonization on up to the present time. I enjoy meeting the people that I have met by being involved with PHA. Everyone has a history and many talents.

 

Take care everyone and enjoy life!
Your friend,
Kenton Daubert
To learn more about volunteer opportunities with the Poudre Heritage Alliance please contact Andy Auer, PHA Volunteer Coordinator, at programs@poudreheritage.org.
Aug 13
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Video: In Their Own Words – Northern Arapaho Leaders

By News, Video

“Water is sacred and we respect that. Without water there is no life.”

– Crawford White, Arapaho Elder

 

Water makes life possible and with all of the pressures on our freshwater resources today, we can’t possibly navigate a topic as large as this without some sense of perspective, and some help from the past.

Through an online video series, the Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area (CALA) has been capturing and sharing knowledge from individuals who collectively hold vital knowledge about water heritage, particularly related to the Poudre River corridor.

Elders from the Northern Arapaho Tribe were generous in sharing their perspectives and stories about their descendants. These individuals reflect on life for Arapaho living in their homelands along the Poudre River in the 1800s and what has happened to their culture.

The PHA considers the Northern Arapaho Tribe a partner and friend and look forward to more opportunities to work with them in interpreting their unique history in the Fort Collins area of Northern Colorado.

To view more videos from this series please visit www.poudreheritage.org/videos

May 30
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Play It Safe on the Poudre this Summer!

By News

As the Colorado snowpack starts to melt and rivers and streams across the state begin to rise, its important to remember to Play It Safe on the Poudre!

The Cache la Poudre River offers many miles of incredible recreational opportunities – the scenic river runs from mild (class I-II) to wild (class V), attracting people from around the country to its beautiful waters. However, most people do not understand the dangers that exist while recreating on the river.

The Poudre River presents numerous hazards. Broken or low-hanging tree branches, hidden beneath the water, can snag a person out for a lazy afternoon tubing trip. Freezing waters made cold by spring runoff can cause a person to react slowly, when quicker action is needed, or possibly suffer hypothermia. And deceptively fast-moving waters pose a drowning risk to even the most experienced swimmers.

“The Poudre River is a source of local pride that draws thousands to its waters each year. We wouldn’t dissuade peoples’ love for it and what it represents. But the river is equal parts beautiful and destructive. Its power is easy to underestimate, and river-related tragedy can befall anyone at any time,” said former Poudre Fire Authority spokeswoman Madeline Noblett.

The Play It Safe on the Poudre program raises awareness about approaches to recreating on the river in safe and sustainable ways, and helps to build the capacity of the Poudre Fire Authority and Larimer County rescue teams. The program also calls attention to the history of in-river structures that represent hazards to recreation.

Play It Safe on the Poudre principles:

  1. Wear a life vest
    • Use proper floatation devices
    • Wear shoes
    • Wear a helmet
    • Don’t tie anything to yourself or your tubes
  2. Safe to go?
    • Know the weather and water conditions
    • The water is melted snow – it’s always cold!
    • Avoid rocks, branches, logs and debris in the river
  3. Know where you are
    • Take a map
    • Plan your take-out location before you get in the river
  4. Float sober, float safe
    • Alcohol and drugs impair judgement
  5. Be Courteous
    • Pack it in; Pack it out
    • Share the river
  6. What if you flip?
    • Don’t stand up in the river; avoid foot entrapment
    • Float on your back with feet pointing downstream and toes out of the water
    • Use your arms to paddle to shore

 

Download a River Access and Safety Map

 

 

Other representatives who have taken part in the group’s efforts represent: Poudre Fire Authority; multiple departments within the City of Fort Collins, including the city’s Natural Areas Department; Larimer County; the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office and Larimer County Emergency Services; Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and more.

For more info please visit www.poudreheritage.org/playitsafe

May 02
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Poudre River Fish Ladder at Watson Lake

Poudre Heritage Alliance Collaborates to Improve Poudre River Ecosystem Health

By News
A new fish ladder (left side) on the Poudre River at the Bellvue-Watson State Wildlife Area & Watson Lake will reconnect more than 2 miles of the Poudre River, improving ecosystem health and fish habitat (Photo by Jordan Williams).

 

On May 1, 2019, Poudre Heritage Alliance (PHA) staff joined with partners and community members at a ribbon cutting ceremony for the completion of a new fish ladder at the Bellvue-Watson State Wildlife Area and Watson Lake. The new structure helps to connect fragmented sections of the Poudre River and improve aquatic habitat for fish.

This fish ladder will help the following species:
· Longnose dace
· Longnose suckers
· White suckers
· Brown trout
· Rainbow trout

“Outside of the benefits to aquatic life, this project is important as it showcases the feasibility of fish passage at these large diversion structures and will hopefully further momentum for these types of projects,” said CPW Aquatic Biologist Kyle Battige. “It also serves as an example of the collaboration and team effort from multiple entities that these large-scale conservation projects will have to have in order to be successful in today’s world.”

Kathleen Benedict, Executive Director of the Poudre Heritage Alliance, helps to unveil the new fish ladder at Watson Lake.

PHA will provide a grant to fund the interpretive signage at the site of the fish ladder to help tell the story of water management in the area and how diversion structures still have many uses today, including for agricultural users like project partners Morning Fresh Dairy and Noosa.

Signage and interpretation is an important educational program of the Poudre Heritage Alliance. By supporting facility enhancements along the trails, the Cache la Poudre River NHA will continue to be a premiere local and national attraction as the trail corridor truly becomes a cohesive Heritage Trail.

We hope this will be the first of many fish ladders along the Poudre River that can help to improve the health of the river’s ecosystem.

This project was made possible by Colorado Parks & Wildlife (CPW), along with funding partners noosa yoghurt, Northern Water, Morning Fresh Dairy, Poudre Heritage Alliance and Trout Unlimited.

 

 

 

For more information about PHA and this project please contact Megan Maiolo-Heath, Communications Coordinator, at communications@poudreheritage.org.

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