Earlier this month, I was scouring social media for information about searches regarding the Poudre Canyon flooding. During my search, I came across a Facebook group called Poudre Pee and thought: what the heck is that?

I quickly joined the group and, to my relief (no pun intended), it was not what it seemed to be.

Jason Slotter, a Fort Collins resident and an avid fly fisherman, started the group after the High Park Fire to update his friends on the Poudre River's conditions. Since then, the group has garnered over 750 members and serves as a hub for Poudre River enthusiasts.

"I work in town and see the river every day I drive to town. I can give a lot of real-time updates...[on] pretty much anything going on in the canyon," Slotter told Townsquare NoCo. "One thing members like most about the group is the focus on the Poudre and that the other members in the group are friendly and keep the vibe positive."

These positive vibes extend beyond social media. On Saturday (Sept. 25), members of the Poudre Pee teamed up with other groups — including the National Forest Service, Trout Unlimited, Poudre Wilderness Volunteers, and more — to clean up the Poudre River, which is still full of debris from the fatal flooding.

Members of the Poudre Pee and other groups work to clean up the Poudre River on Sept. 25. Courtesy of Jason Slotter.
Members of the Poudre Pee and other groups work to clean up the Poudre River on Sept. 25. Courtesy of Jason Slotter.
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"It was amazing how much stuff was in the river from the houses that got washed in during the flood. I was glad the Poudre Pee could help get people involved in that project," said Slotter. He hopes to see more clean-up events in the future to protect what he lovingly refers to as his "home river."

As for why the group is called Poudre Pee, it all goes back to Slotter's college days at West Virginia University.

"As a freshman, I only weighed about 100 pounds and got the nickname Pee Wee," he said. "Through the years, the nickname has kinda stuck with some of my friends out here in Colorado, thus the name Poudre Pee."

Slotter has contemplated a name change, but Poudre Pee members seem to be content with the group's unique title. Rather, their primary concern is celebrating this Fort Collins gem that we all know and love.

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