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<br />Gaylord V. SkO(1f'rboe
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<br />economically availllble. while a SO per cent recovery rate is assumed applicable to all
<br />such reserves. Consumplion of coal in 1970 amounted to around 550 million tons for the
<br />entire nation. indicating the ample coal supplies within the basin arc capable or meeting
<br />rUlure development needs.
<br />Although the Uinta Region represents a tremendous coal supply, economic consider-
<br />alions ravor strip mining or bituminous coal resources. Strip mining is applicable to the
<br />coal resources in the rourcorners area (San Juan Counly, Colorado), in the Yampa
<br />Vulley (MolTat County. Colorado), and in GMfield and Kane Counties, Utah. Strip
<br />mined coal is expected 10 be the initial supplier or ruels to the newly developing and
<br />expanding energy conversion utilities.
<br />In addition to supplying electric genera ling capacity, coal resources of the basin are
<br />expected to playa large part in developing a synthetic ruels industry. Resource eSlimates
<br />and projected development schedules indicate that coal reserves will be adequate to meet
<br />demands at least through the end or the Twentieth Century. 't has been estimaled that
<br />coal oUlput within the basin will increase hyten-fold by the turn or the century indicat-
<br />ing the important role which coal is expected to play in meeting the energy needs of the
<br />nation.
<br />
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<br />
<br />The Green River Formalion or the Rocky Mountains contains organic rich sedimen-
<br />tary rocks or potential value ror commercial shale oil production. Estimates, by the
<br />National ^cademy of Engineering (1974). indicate a potential shale oil resource or some
<br />I HOO hillion barrels or oil. The more accessible and heller defined resources amount to an
<br />equivalent 130 billion barrels or oil. Other sources report an estimated 600 billion barrels
<br />or oil in "known highgrade deposits.. (U.S. Department or Inlerior, 1973). Exact amounts
<br />or in-place and recoverable shale are nOI agreed upon by researchers; however, the oil
<br />shale deposits ore known to contuin a considerahle potential energy resource. A one
<br />million barrel per day operation requires the mining or IIpproximlltely 450 million tons
<br />per year, a rraclion or the plItentiallyuvailahle resource. This IImount or shale equals in
<br />weigh I the lotal prodvclion or U.S. coal in I')B. Figure 6 is included 10 show the extent
<br />or known and assumed oil shale deposilS. The richest and thickest high grade oil shale
<br />zones are known to be localed within the cenlral parts or Piceance Basin, Colorado and
<br />Uinta Basin, Utah and Colorado. Approximately 80 per cent or the tolal high grade
<br />resources is believed 10 be located in the Piceance Basin. Lower grade and less accessible
<br />deposits are found in the Green River and Washakie Basins of Wyoming.
<br />
<br />R n'Jo:R t:Nn:s
<br />
<br />Commoner, II.. lI"k.enhanm. H. and C..". M. (I~"I F.ner,y and human welrare I critical Inlly.I.. In
<br />Altr."wI/I't' 7i'dll,,,/',,,;c'.. ./;" P"M'C" """/lte'Om,. Vol. 2. Mn.:millun InrnrOlatinn, New York.
<br />Flul. M.. Wllkor. W. R" Sk..,er""". O. V, Ind Smith. S. W. (19771 The impae' ..r energy "".elopment on wlter
<br />r..our~ in Ihe Up""r C"I...ado Ri'er 1I..in. Complelion Re,..nt OWRT Proj..,1 No. C.6076, o.pl. of
<br />Agricllllural Ind Chemical En,ineerin" Clllorad" Sla'e Unl.enily, Fori Collin.. Colorodo.
<br />Hln.en. D. C (19'" Waler a..ilahle ror ener,y Upper Coloredo Ri.er 81,ln. A... Stir, CMI Enl/. Preprlnt
<br />2'M.
<br />HYlu, M, L.. Riley J. P" McKee, M. L. Ind "reeloen, E. K.1I9701 Computer .Imullllon of the hydrlllo,lo-
<br />ulinlty now 'Yllem ...ilhln the Upper Culoredo River 8111n. Utlh Wiler R....rch Llborelory, Repon
<br />PRWO'4-I, UlIh SIII.Unl..nity, Loaln. p. 255.
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<br />Tilt, Ph.nkal F."l'irotlmt'''' of ,h,. Colortlllo RiI'rr Basi"
<br />
<br />27
<br />
<br />lorn.. W. V.. Hemhr~. C. H. and Oakland. G. l. (191\51 Waler r..ou"... of Ihe Upper Col..rldo Ri'..,
<br />8a~in--.Techniclll Report. GeololZical ~urvry prortssional Pa~r 441. U.S. GO\'t'rnment Pnnlln, Office.
<br />Wo,hing.on. D.C. . .
<br />Lower Colorodn Regional Slale-Federollnteragcncy Group (l97Illow.r Coloredo R.glon ComprthenSlv.
<br />Framework Stud)'. Water Resources Council, Wllshington, D.C. . .
<br />Na.ional Acad.my or Engine.rlng. Ta,k force on enerlY. (1974) U.S. En.rlY Pros",,": An Eng,neerlO'
<br />Viewpoint. . .
<br />Nalion31 Academ)' or Sciences (l96RI Waler and choice in the CC'llorado Basin: an eumple or alternallve$ In
<br />Willer 111.lOilp:cmcnl. Puhlil'alion 16~Q, Wa~hinglon, D_C'.
<br />Nalional rClroleum COllncil, Commillcc on U.S. Ener" Oullook (19721 U.S. F.oergy OUllook.
<br />Rock)' MounlDln A!iosocialion or (jeologi~IS (1972) Gtntngir AIIIIS of ,lIr Rock.~. MnunllJ;n RrQlm.. Denver,
<br />Colorado.
<br />U.S. Deparlment or Ihe Inlerior (1973) Finll "n.lronmenta' Slllement for Ihe Protolype Oil Shll. La,inl
<br />Progrem. Vol. I...... U.S. Go..rnmenl Print;n, Office. Wuh';ngton, D.C. . .'
<br />Upper Coloredo R.lion SI.......Fed.r.1 Inter.Agency Group (1971) Upper Coloredo Relllon Comprehensl\"
<br />Fram.work Study. Wiler Resources Council. WUhin,ton. D.C.
<br />Wilkinson, L. (1974) Energy resource de.elopment for the ....11. Western Inlentl" Nucl..r Boord, Wewood.
<br />Coloredo. .
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