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Summary <br />• Tourism and agriculture are the two primary sectors in Colorado's economy that will be negatively <br />impacted by the drought. <br />• Tourism spending injects approximately $8.5 billion into Colorado's economy and comprises eight <br />percent of the state's work force. <br />• The economies in the resort counties, southwestern Colorado, and southern Colorado are most <br />dependent on tourism and will be more affected by a drought. <br />• The 1977 drought caused a 40 percent decline in ski lift ticket sales and a 15 percent decline in <br />employment at the ski areas. <br />• Agriculture employs 3.9 percent of the state's work force and comprises 3.5 percent of wages. <br />The effects of a drought on the agriculture sector are difficult to discern because of the large amount of <br />federal assistance. Indeed, in the 1977 drought the inventory of livestock actually increased in <br />Colorado while farm income from crops only declined 2.8 percent. <br />• The 2000 Hi Meadow and Bobcat wildfires cost state and local governments approximately $6.5 <br />million. <br />• State and local government receive approximately $550 million in tag revenue from tourism, a portion <br />of which is at risk from a decline in tourism from the drought. <br />