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. Water stored in Fontene11e is available for municipal and industrial development, but to date these demands have not materialized. The water is currently being used for river regulation, recreation, and to serve the Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge. Water stored in Flaming Gorge is available for river regulation, power production, recreation, and fish and wildlife benefits. These uses will be discussed in-depth later in this report. Coal is an important resource in the basin and has a long history of boom and bust. In the early part of the century, coal was produced for local consumption and exported to urban center and steel mills outside the basin. The principal coal production areas are located in the area near Price, Utah and in the Yampa River Valley. Major coal production areas in Utah include Price, Helper, Cast1eda1e, and Huntington. Major coal production areas in Colorado include Hayden, Craig, Range1y, and the area south of Steamboat Springs. Wyoming coal reserves are located near Kemmerer and Rock Springs. Today most of the coal produced is consumed by large thermoelectric power plants which have been constructed near the coal mines. Power from these power plants is distributed throughout the western United States. Some coal is also produced for export to steel mills and power plants outside of the basin which require low sulphur coal to meet. pollution standards. The thermoelectric power generation industry does consume a portion of the basin's water resource. Water is used for the creation of steam to run turbines and to cool the power facilities. These facilities need a dependable year-round water source which is difficult to provide. For this reason, most of the power plants in the region have located on major tributaries, or have made arrangements for reserve water from small special purpose reservoirs. The oil and gas resources of the basin are large and widespread. Oil and gas wells are found throughout the basin with concentrations in the Vernal, Range1y, and Rock Springs areas. These communities have developed as service centers for the oil and gas industry in the basin and have experienced a tremendous boom and bust cycle. These industries are not significant consumers of water but the municipal development that is generated by these industries does place some demands on the water resources of the basin. 2.5 Bibliography [1] Woolley R.R. The Green River and its Utilization, USGS water Supply Paper No. 618, pp. 456., GPO, Washington DC, 1930. [2] U.S. Department of Commerce, Environmental, Sciences Service Administration, Climate Atlas of the United States. Reprint by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. pp 80. 1983 [3] Kneese A.V., Parker A.L., Spofford, W.O.Jr., Energy development in the Southwest, Problems of Water Fish and Wildlife in the Upper Colorado River Basin. Volumes 1 & 2. Resources for the Future washington DC. 1980. [4] Iorns, W.V., C.H. Hembree, and G.L. Oakland. "Water Resources of the Upper Colorado River Basin - Technical Report," USGS Professional Paper No. 441-A, 370pp., GPO, Washington, DC, 1965. 2-5 ~