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SUPEARY
<br />The South Platte River Basin encompasses 24,030 square miles, of
<br />which 19,022 are in Colorado,, 3,011 in Nebraska, and 1;, 997 in Wyoming,
<br />The South Platte River rises along the eastern front range of the Rocky
<br />Mountains in central Colorado arid. flows northeasterly some 440 miles to
<br />join the North Platte River at North Platte, Nebraska, All but about 60
<br />miles of the main stem is within the State of Colorado. The South Platte
<br />River is a shallow, swiftly flowing, relatively small stream. It has a
<br />mean annual. discharge of 500 second-feet; however, periods of no flow
<br />exist during maximum water use or drought,
<br />The Basin climate, generally semiarid,, is largely influenced by
<br />topographic characteristics, The greatest precipitaticin occurs in the
<br />mountains. Approximately onc—fourth of the region lies above 8,000 feet
<br />mean sea level; one -.- fourth is between 6,000 and 8,000 feet m.s.l. ; and
<br />the remainder between 3,,000 and 6,000 feet
<br />In 1950 the population of the Basin was 840,000, of which 90 per-
<br />cent lived in Colorado, 5 percent in Nebraska, and 5 percent in Wyoming.
<br />Approximately 70 percent of the population is classified as urban. Denver,
<br />Colorado, the largest city, had a 1950 population of 415,7860
<br />The economy of the Basin As supported by agriculture, a large
<br />resort and touxi.9t business, and a variety of industries, kost crops
<br />are raised on irrigated land and include hay, forage, -sugar beets,
<br />potatoes.. barley,, beans., corn, oats, ry(--,, sorghums and wheat. Large
<br />numbers of livestock are produced, Truck farming, particularly in the
<br />vicinity of Denver, is important. !Much ol' the industry of the Basin is
<br />closely allied with agriculture. 'Large quantities of sugar beets,, fruits,
<br />vegetables, milk, meat, poultry and 6z!ains are processed.
<br />Mining is an extensive operation., ranking third in value of pro-
<br />duction. Coal, gc2d, silver, CUP07, lead and zinc are mined in con-
<br />siderable amounts. Coal has become the n1jDat -valuable product of the
<br />mining industry in recent yeas: s. Oil production has been a very valu-
<br />able industry. Recent d!,sccvex-J.e;;-:-. of oll in the vicinity of Sterling.,
<br />Coloradog and Sidney,, Nebraska,, have res':L,ted in a rapid growth of the
<br />industry in northeastern Colorado and r,oixthwes`_Iern. Neb"r-aska.
<br />Water use continues to be a major factor in the Basin develop-
<br />ment and,, unless nicre effic.l.ent. use is made of ex-isting water resources
<br />or additional Water is 56CLIred, farther economic expansion will come
<br />slowly. Water resources have been overapplrop:rr-iated and it is seldom
<br />that all water rihts
<br />g
<br />., � can be met. Two transmountain diversions- the
<br />proposed Blue-South Platte and the Colorado-Big Thompson now essen-
<br />tially completed - will add approximately 690,000 acre -feet annually
<br />to the Basin's water supply.
<br />The major water uses are irrigation, water supplies for 28 com-
<br />munities including Denver, industrial operations, hydroelectric power,
<br />stock watering and recreation. JAunicipal and industrial requirements
<br />exceed 258,,000 acre-feet annually although most of this water is
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