Big Thompson watershed
About BTWC
The Big Thompson Watershed Coalition (BTWC) formed as a 501(c)3 to help private and public landowners collaborate recovery efforts after the 2013 state-declared flooding emergency. Today, we continue to build a bright future in northern Colorado by working with dedicated partnerships in multiple sectors to reduce risks to the health and integrity of this river system and as well as the wild and human communities that depend on it.
This single network of waterways:
- Supplies 800,000 downstream water users across 32 communities;
- Provides the livelihoods and well-being of nearly 100,000 people in the watershed;
- Welcomes 4+ million annual visitors and their recreation-based economy;
- Supports residential, municipal, business, industrial, agricultural, and ecological water needs.
This film was produced by our local Emmy Award winning filmmaker Andrew Warren of Starry Eyed Creative.
What we do
Since 2016 we have
Worked across 80 miles of the Big Thompson River from Olympus Dam to its intersection with the Middle South Platte River
Raised over $15 million for restoration projects and community involvement
Transported 10,600+ dump truck loads of sediment and debris along the river
Collaborated with 150+ landowners throughout the watershed
Improved over 10 miles of river and installed 250+ rock habitat features
Logged 1000+ hours of community participation through 71 community events and volunteer projects
Installed 45,000+ native plants on our project sites
Our Mission
Working with others to take action that protects and restores the health and vitality of the Big Thompson watershed for the use and enjoyment of our community.
Our Work
Programs
River
Implementing long-term river improvement projects for flood recovery, river resilience, wildlife habitat, and community enjoyment.
Forest
Reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfire damage to communities, forests, and water through forest management.
Community Involvement
Activating Big Thompson communities to drive enhancement projects, stewardship, and planning for regional health and resilience across private and public lands.
Planning for Resilience
Leading multi-objective planning projects that create watershed-wide guidelines to drive on-the-ground restoration.
Support Our Work
Your donation makes a world of difference for a small organization. We rely on the generosity of our community to help with operational costs that our grant funding does not cover. Remember, there is no donation too small to make a difference! Click the button to learn more.
Join us at Upcoming Events!
As part of the community we host or attend a variety of events. These are fun ways to engage community members with our watershed and share the importance of this beautiful place. Most events are local and free to attend, so come join us by the river!