7281 ‎(2)‎

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 7281
• Author: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
• Title: Recovery Implementation Program for Endangered Fish Species in the Upper Colorado River Basin, Environmental Assessment, November 1987.
• USFW Year: 1987.
• USFW - Doc Type: Denver, Colorado.
• Copyright Material: NO

CHAPTER III AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT
K. Social Considerations
The Basin was the site of high rates of growth in the 1970's due to national
energy shortages. Energy development opportunities brought jobs, people, and
an increasing demand for water into the area. In 1982, most development and
proposed development came to an abrupt halt or was scaled back dramatically.
Though the resources remain, changes in the energy market altered the timing
and scale of potential developments. The greater supply and lower demand for
energy and the scarcity of investment capital tend to constrain project size
and lengthen the development period of proposals today. Today, most
development proposals are assigned a high degree of uncertainty and viewed '
skeptically.
Other changes are evident. Although the job market has been reduced '
drastically, many people who came for jobs have remained due to lifestyle
considerations. The infrastructure base built up in the boom years is
basically still in place. Housing, education, and other infrastructure
facilities are sufficient and, in many areas, greater than demand. Energy- '
related growth has abated, but other factors contribute to the area's growth
on a much lower scale.
The population and economy of the Upper Basin are now stabilizing. Employment '
and income appear to have bottomed out based on most indicators. Based on
demographic and economic patterns evident within the Upper Basin prior to the '
surge in energy development, those factors which contributed to nonenergy-
related growth will again assert themselves, and growth will continue at a
much lower rate than during the recent boom/bust cycle. Factors outside of
the Upper Basin still heavily influence the economy of the area. Since the ,
energy resource is largely still in place, any drastic change in the
availability or price of oil could trigger another energy development surge.
Current water utilization within the Upper Basin is directly influenced by '
development and conservation trends. Senior agricultural water rights are in
place, but the number of acres being irrigated is slowly declining. In some
areas, irrigation water development continues on a small scale. Municipal
water appears to be in place for the projected growth in almost all Upper
Basin communities. Industrial water demands during the boom were being
developed through private projects. While the water rights are still in
effect, a demonstrated demand for all of the water is not always present.
Water-based recreation still has a high social and economic value, but there
are few remaining development and utilization opportunities. As the

increasing population base and commercial development of the recreation '
resource bring in more people to utilize the area, the carrying capacity will
be reached and the relative attractiveness of the area for recreational use
will decline. Hydropower generation is mostly limited to existing sites with '
few proposals for upgrades or new smaller sites. The manner and degree to
which water-based development opportunities can be realized will be
conditioned by the need to avoid jeopardy to endangered fishes. Developers

are concerned about the economic feasibility of future project proposals as ,
well as the potential need to alter projects requiring Federal authorization
or funding to comply with Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act to offset
project impacts to endangered fishes.
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