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<br />"Mi ni ng and agriculture form the economi c base for the San Juan- <br />Colorado Subregion. The agricultural development is similar to <br />that of the other subregions with most of the cropl and devoted to <br />livestock feeds but with production of diversified market crops on <br />lands with favorable air drainage. The main market crops are fruit, <br />vegetables, and dry beans. Oil, natural gas, and coal are the most <br />important minerals produced. There is also significant production of <br />vanadium and uranium. Gold, silver, and associated minerals are <br />produced, but their importance has declined considerably from the boom <br />production of the early settlement days. <br /> <br />"Recreation and associated industries contribute substantially to the <br />local and regional economy. The San Juan Mountains, known as the <br />'American Alps,' are renowned for their scenic beauty and recreational <br />opportunities and attract vacationers from throughout the country. <br />The subregi on al so is noted for its national forests and for its <br />national parks and monuments, many of which preserve prehistoric <br />Indian ruins. It contains Bryce Canyon and Mesa Verde National Parks <br />and the major part of Canyonlands National Park. Also, it includes <br />nine national monuments: Yucc'a House, Navajo, Capitol Reef, Rainbow <br />Bridge, Canyon de Chelly, Natural Bridges, Hovenweep, Aztec Ruins, and <br />Chaco Canyon. Also notable in the subregion are the Glen Canyon <br />National Recreational Area and the 'Four Corners,' the only point in <br />the United States were four states join. Many recreational facilities <br />are provided on the public domain and by State, local, and private <br />developments. II [5] <br /> <br />The arid-semiarid climate of the San Juan-Colorado region features notable <br />variations in precipitation, affected primarily by moisture supply and <br />topography. Most of the precipitation is provided by Pacific air masses <br />that move inland from the west. Summer cyclonic thunderstorms sweep into <br />the southern portion of the region from the Gulf of Mexico. Canadian <br />arctic air can occupy the northern portion of the region during winter <br />months. Since the region is distant from major sources of moisture and the <br />air masses cross numerous mountain ranges en route to the area, precipita- <br />tion is sparse except in high mountain areas. Average annual precipitation <br />varies from less than 6 inches in the lowest valleys to more than 50 <br />inches in the hi gher mountai ns. Average preci pitat ion in the vall eys and <br />agricultural areas is from 10 to 20 inches per year. "Precipitation from <br />late October through mid-April consists primarily of snow, particularly at <br />higher elevations. Annual snowfall ranges from about 5 inches in the lower <br />valleys and plateaus to 200 to 300 inches in the higher mountains. Snow <br />accumulations occasionally exceed 100 inches at the higher elevations and <br />do not completely melt until late summer."[6] The ,frost-free period varies <br />greatly with elevation from 20 days or less at elevations above 8,500 feet <br />to more than 180 days at elevations below 5,bOO feet. <br /> <br />Approximately 60 percent of the Upper Basin land area is under Federal <br />administration, 15 percent is Indian Trust land, and 25 percent of the <br />area is State, corporate, and individual land. The Bureau of Land Manage- <br />ment and the Forest Service administer about 58 percent of the public <br />land, most of it under the multiple-use doctrine. Grazing and crop pro- <br />duct i on are two of the most important 1 and uses. Forests cover about <br /> <br />..; <br /> <br />-8 <br />