Media advisory: Experts and CSU students available to discuss Halligan Dam physical flow model and project

Published: July 10, 2025 12:41 PM

Contacts for reporters

Colorado State University: Josh Rhoten ([email protected] and 720-480-3660)
City of Fort Collins: Honora Thompson ([email protected] and 619-985-8349)

What: Researchers and experts from the City of Fort Collins and Colorado State University will debut the Halligan Water Supply Project’s replacement dam in Northern Colorado during a media day event. Faculty and students at CSU have developed a large-scale model that brings the Halligan Water Supply Project’s dam design to life at 1/24 scale. Students are testing water flows and various configurations, and a model will be set up for demonstration. Faculty and students will be on hand to discuss research activity, while city experts are set to discuss the project holistically and how the partnership with CSU will benefit the overall work. Note: This event is only open to members of the media and is not available to the general public.

When: 10-11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, July 15

Where: CSU Hydraulics Laboratory is in the Daryl B. Simons Building on the CSU Foothills Campus, 4451 Laporte Ave., Fort Collins, CO 80521. RSVP to reserve parking in the nearby lot. A vehicle will be available to take media and equipment down to the model building via a short dirt road during the event.

About: Halligan Reservoir is an existing reservoir on the North Fork of the Cache la Poudre River. It is situated about 25 miles northwest of Fort Collins in Larimer County, Colorado. If approved, the Halligan Water Supply Project will enlarge the existing Halligan Reservoir by approximately 8,200 acre-feet. The city has partnered with the university and engineering leader AECOM to conduct a test study of the proposed spillway and stilling basin for the project. The project team at CSU is housed in the Hydraulics Laboratory on the Foothills Campus and has hosted many similar projects that were later developed in Colorado, the region and abroad.

Who will be available:

  • Darren Parkin, Halligan Program manager, City of Fort Collins.
  • Jeff Ellis, Hydraulics Laboratory manager, CSU.
  • Christopher Thornton, associate professor, CSU.
  • Dan Swanson, civil engineer, AECOM.
  • Graduate and undergraduate students involved in the project.

More information: