PROJ02109 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

, , fish. In addition, the basin was accessible from the Laramie plains, the Red Desert, the Arkansas, and Colorado Rivers, all natural wilderness routes, which contributed to the use of the basin. The basin was included in Spanish claims from 1540 to 1836 and in Mexican claims from 1836 to 1848. It then was part of the Utah territory until it became part of the Colorado territory, and finally part of the of the state of Colorado in 1876. The first settlements took place during the period between 1876 & 1900. Steamboat Springs was well enough established to have a post office as early as 1875. Coal mining began in the late 1880's. During this period cattle ranching on a large scale was the major activity within the area. Settlement was rather slow until about 1910. The settlers who came into the area to take up homesteads generally filed on subirrigated or irrigable land along the rivers and creeks. The Denver, Salt Lake and Pacific Railroad (Now the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad) reached Steamboat Springs in 1908, and was completed to Craig in 1913. It followed the Yampa River through the watershed area. With completion of the railroad, many of the small homesteaders during this time took up holdings in the potential dryland areas. The peak year for homesteading was 1925. Thus, the building of the railroad was the beginning of the end to the huge cattle ranches characteristic of the area before this time. The advent of the railroad also signaled the exploration of the coal reserves of the area. Another industry was born in 1924 when oil was struck at a depth of 3,800 feet on the Hamilton dome 15 miles south of Craig. Coal, oil, and gas production remain very important factors in the economy. The townsite of Mount Harris is located near the location of the proposed diversion for the watershed. Mount Harris was a town built for the miners that worked in the numerous coal mines near here during the first half of the twentieth century. When the mines closed, all the buildings were gradually moved or destroyed. Foundations are all that remained. Wildlife and Wetlands High snowfall is part of the climate picture that combined with other climate factors create a harsh climate for many wildlife. Many of the traditional wildlife species still exist in the area. Suitable habitat for the following threatened or endangered species is found in the watershed: bald eagle (Haliaeetus leuccocephalus), American perigine falcon (Falco peregrinus), and black-footed ferret (Mustela Nigripes). Another species proposed as a candidate for listing is the Boreal Toad (Bufo boreas boreas). Most of the above are also on the Colorado state list of threatened, endangered, or proposed species list or a species of special concern. The watershed project is not expected to have an adverse impact on any of these species. Hayden 8