Plans for proposed reservoir in Northern Colorado move forward, Highway 287 to be relocated

Soon five miles of Highway 287 near Fort Collins will likely be submerged in water as more than a dozen northern Colorado towns and suppliers prepare to build Colorado's newest reservoir. Glade Reservoir is on track to be built just northwest of Fort Collins near Ted's Place in the coming years.  

"The project is really necessary for northern Colorado," said Carl Brouwer, Project Director for Northern Water.  

For decades now other states have been positioning themselves to secure water from Colorado's mountains. And, in the past thirty years, many local municipalities across the front range have also been entering the ring to secure more water rights for the growth in population.  

Glade Reservoir is positioned to be the answer for the future for many towns including Windsor, Severance, Johnstown and more.   

"Northern Colorado continues to grow. This project will provide a reliable water supply for this region into the future," Brouwer said.  

The Army Corps of Engineers recently approved a Section 404 Permit for the project, a permit in which the board of directors for Northern Water has also approved.  

"It has been a long time coming. We have been working on this project for decades," Brouwer said. "It is a major milestone. It allows us to continue on with the design and ultimately the construction of the project." 

A proposed dam will be constructed just north of Ted's Place and water from excess spring runoff in the Poudre River will help fill the reservoir to a capacity of 170,000 acre feet.  

"An acre foot of water is enough water to supply water to about two-to-three families in a given year," Brouwer said. "It is very similar in size to Horsetooth Reservoir." 

Northern Water has already reached an agreement with CDOT to relocate five miles of Highway 287 which will have to be relocated to the east of the current ridgeline it is enclosed by.  

Northern Water said they envisioned the project and reservoir to go alongside another reservoir to be built northeast of Greeley. Galeton Reservoir will help local farmers continue to have access to sufficient water shares while allowing the towns to repurpose Poudre River water for their growing communities.  

Brouwer said construction of the dam and highway is expected to take two years. He said water could be filling the proposed reservoir as early as 2029 with hope that the water will help supply populations for decades to come.