Expert Report of D. Randolph Seahom and Exhibits

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2 Consumptive Uses and Losses rapidly by the Lower Basin States, thus allowing them to claim prior appropriative rights. The Upper Basin States wanted provisions for their future development. The term "Upper Basin States" refers to the States of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. "Lower Basin States" refers to the States of Arizona, California, and Nevada. However, the Upper Colorado River Basin refers to the hydrologic boundaries. Lee Ferry is the division point between the Upper Colorado River Basin and the Lower Colorado River Basin. The major tributary streams selected as reporting areas in the Upper Colorado River Basin are: Green River (Wyoming, Colorado, Utah), Upper Main Stem (Colorado, Utah), and San Juan - Colorado (Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona). The boundaries of the reporting areas are shown on the map on page ii. A: brief description of each reporting area follows. Upper Colorado River Basin Green River (Wyoming - Colorado -Utah) The Green River reporting area comprises approximately 44,800 square miles in southwestern Wyoming, northwestern Colorado, and northeastern and east - central Utah. Principal tributaries of the Green River are Blacks Fork, New Fork, and Big Sandy Creek in southwestern Wyoming, Yampa and White Rivers on the western slope of the Continental Divide in northwestern Colorado, and the Price, Duchesne, and San Rafael Rivers in eastern Utah. These streams are fed by numerous headwater lakes. The largest towns in the reporting area are Rock Springs and Green River in Wyoming, Vernal and Price in Utah, and Craig, Steamboat Springs, and Meeker in Colorado. Mineral production is the major industry. Oil and natural gas are of primary importance, as are coal, gilsonite, asphalt, and trona, (soda ash). Thermal electric power production is becoming an increasingly important industry. Agriculture ranks near mineral production in importance to the local economy. Agricultural development is centered around livestock production, primarily beef cattle and sheep. Because of a short growing season, crop production is limited largely to small grain, hay, and pasture. These crops are used as winter livestock feed and complement the vast areas of public grazing lands. Irrigation consumptive use accounts for about 71 percent of the total water use in the Green River reporting area exclusive of any share of main stem evaporation. Nearly 705,000 acres of land are irrigated in an average year. Large exports of water are made to the Great Basin in Utah. •