The south platte coalition for urban river evaluation will conduct a watershed needs assessment of the aquatic resources and water conditions in the upper section of the south platte river basin…

The South Platte Coalition for Urban River Evaluation received $294,027 in Project Grant funding from the Bureau of Reclamation under the Cooperative Watershed Management Program (CFDA 15.554) to conduct a comprehensive watershed needs assessment of the upper South Platte River Basin in the Denver metropolitan area. The award, issued November 28, 2025, with a completion date of September 30, 2028, supports biological monitoring activities to evaluate the health of fish and macroinvertebrate communities in this heavily urbanized river reach. The Coalition will identify current and planned segment-specific restoration projects and compile data to facilitate collaborative stakeholder engagement in defining desired watershed outcomes.

The project deliverables encompass data collection on aquatic resources and water conditions, assessment of the river's ecological health despite impacts from channelization, urban runoff, warming waters, and point and non-point source pollution, and facilitation of a stakeholder-driven collaborative process. The Coalition's diverse membership—comprising agricultural, municipal, environmental, industrial, energy, disadvantaged community, and governmental interests—will utilize the collected biological and hydrological data to inform watershed management priorities. This initiative represents the Bureau of Reclamation's investment in grassroots watershed group capacity and watershed restoration planning in the western United States.

The south platte coalition for urban river evaluation will conduct a watershed needs assessment of the aquatic resources and water conditions in the upper section of the south platte river basin located in the denver metro area of colorado. The south platte river is an integral resource which provides supply for drinking water and agricultural irrigation, serves as a center for recreation, and a provides habitat for diverse fish and macroinvertebrate communities. However, the heavily urbanized river reach is highly channelized and impacted by urban runoff, warming waters, and point and non-point source pollution. The coalition will conduct biological monitoring to assess the health of the fish and macroinvertebrate communities, identify current and planned segment-specific projects, and use collected data to facilitate a collaborative process, by which stakeholders can identify a desired outcome for the watershed. The coalition represents a diverse set of interests, including agricultural, municipal, environmental, industrial, energy, disadvantaged communities, state, and local governmental entities.