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<br />Mesa County is a leading producer of vanadium-bearing uranium ore <br />and has one of the most modern and important processing plants in <br />the world for producing uranium and vanadium concentrates. <br />Important nonmetallic minerals are coal and oil shale. It is <br />estimated that approximately 1.5 billion tons of bituminous and <br />sub-bituminous coal lie within 3,000 feet of the surface in Mesa <br />County. A number of oil shale exposures at various locations in <br />county offer possibilities of rapid economic growth if <br />breakthroughs take place in the technology of extracting oil from <br />oil shale. Since 1949, natural gas has been extracted from a <br />number of fields in the county, and the possibility of extending <br />existing fields and developing new fields in other areas is <br />considered excellent. <br /> <br />Mesa County had a 1980 population of 81,530. This represents <br />approximately a 50 percent increase over the 1970 population of <br />54,374 (Reference 2). However, the population dropped to 57,710 in <br />1990 (Reference 3). The principal concentration of population in <br />the county is in Grand Junction, which had 54,212 residents in 1980 <br />(Reference 2). The estimated population of the City of Grand <br />Junction in 1990 was 30,000 (Reference 3). <br /> <br />The floodplains of the streams under study, except in a few cases, <br />are only slightly developed. Some light-industrial, commercial, <br />recreational, and rural residential uses and transportation <br />facilities are in floodplain areas. Grand Valley is used mainly <br />for agricultural purposes, although extensive residential and <br />commercial development has taken place in Grand Junction. In the <br />Gateway area, a number of trailer homes have been established. <br />Additional pressure will undoubtedly be exerted for more use of the <br />floodplains as a result of increased recreational activities; <br />tourism; intensified mining operations for energy producing <br />minerals; the desirability of the region for retirement purposes; <br />and continuing development, especially in the Grand Junction area. <br /> <br />Mesa County is served by u.s. Highways 6,24, and 50; Interstate <br />Highway 70; and several State highways. Most of the communities, <br />including the larger ones, are located along the U.S. and <br />Interstate highway systems. General intracounty access is provided <br />by more than 1,300 miles of county road. The Denver and Rio Grande <br />Western Railroad mainline parallels the U.S. and Interstate <br />highways from east to west through the county, and a branch line <br />parallels u.s. Highway 50 to the south. Limited railroad passenger <br />service is provided, with the bulk of service handling freight. <br />Bus service is available and four major airlines and several <br />commuter-type airlines provide passenger and freight service to <br />Grand Junction. <br /> <br />Mesa County includes two distinct physiographic reglons, the Rocky <br />Mountains and the Colorado Plateau. In eastern Mesa County, high, <br />flattop mountains are interspersed with many steep-walled canyons. <br />A wide, gently sloping valley corridored by high, granite-faced <br />cliffs occupies the northwestern sector. In the southwest, the <br /> <br />6 <br />