New Fish Ladder Opens Doors on the Poudre River

Executive Director Kathleen Benedict of the Poudre Heritage Alliance spoke at the ribbon cutting ceremony Watson Lake Fish Bypass, which allows fish to access area of their natural habitat that had previously been blocked by a diversion dam.

Poudre Heritage Alliance / Jordan Williams

Collaborative Project Will Benefit River Habitat and Education in Cache la Poudre River NHA

Bellvue, CO (May 8, 2019) – Last week, communities in the Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area in northern Colorado celebrated the completion of a new fish ladder along the Poudre River. The Watson Lake Fish Bypass is a collaborative project between Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) and several partners, including Poudre Heritage Alliance, the organization that manages Cache la Poudre River NHA.

The fish ladder will benefit many species of fish, including brown trout.

NPS Photo

The new fish ladder connects two miles of fish habitat that were previously blocked by the Watson Lake Diversion. Several species of fish, including longnose suckers and rainbow trout, will now be able to use the ladder to access spawning grounds. This greater freedom of movement for the fish will also help restore the natural ecosystem.

“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.”

The new fish ladder connects two miles of previously obstructed fish habitat along the Poudre River.

Poudre Heritage Alliance / Jordan Williams

The fish ladder is located in an area that sees a large number of visitors, from families and fishing enthusiasts enjoying the Watson Lake State Wildlife Area to schoolchildren on field trips at the Bellvue-Watson Fish Hatchery. To educate visitors about water management and the river’s ecosystem, Poudre Heritage Alliance is providing a grant to place interpretive signage adjacent to the fish ladder.

The Watson Lake Fish Bypass is the first fish ladder constructed on the Poudre River as part of a long-term plan to mitigate human impact on the river’s health. Partners hope that this project will pave the way for the construction of additional fish ladders and other initiatives to help support and protect the river’s ecosystem.

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