|
<br />.
<br />
<br />.
<br />
<br />..
<br />
<br />to spring and early summer runoff.
<br />
<br />7. Natural resou~ces. The basin ar~a is rich in n~tural resources
<br />
<br />and is a prin:ary source of raw materials for loc"l manufo.cturing; It has
<br />
<br />an unusual diversity of products including at least 200 metallic and non-
<br />
<br />metallic minerals, of which about ~O are produced in cOIDmerical quantities.
<br />
<br />The amount of potential water pal"rcr is great, particulu.rly thr'1ugh stv.bili-
<br />
<br />zati'Jn of stroz..m rIo'ws by in-tl'oduction :)f ...vutc~rs diverted from th<J wostern
<br />
<br />s lope of the Rocky Mountains, and th8 potenti,:.l irrigu ti on possibi,li ti ~s
<br />
<br />are limited only by the aJD..,~unt of water avui lab 10. 'I'hu forests contain
<br />
<br />a large umount of softwood nnd some hQrdwoods. 'l'l'" soil is well adl\pted
<br />
<br />to che growing of grains, truok, and fruits and to th~ production of
<br />
<br />poultry, eggs, livestock, :md dairy products. On Qccount of the climut"
<br />
<br />and the natural o.nd deve loped recrccctic>nal aroo.s the region has bccome
<br />
<br />a vacationland of the nation.
<br />
<br />8. Metal deposits occur chiefly in the mountain "rec,; gold, silv,"r,
<br />
<br />copper, lead, and zinc leading in production v"lues. GrWlitc, scmdston<J,
<br />
<br />and luV!l. are produced extensively for use as building stone. Limestone,
<br />
<br />kaolin, fire-clay ~nd cement rr~tori~ls ~ra produced in qu~ntity and arc
<br />
<br />the bases of large industries. Coal of lignite [',nd sub-bituminous qut.lity
<br />
<br />is oxtensively mined, and estirnnted coal reserves of 13,000 to 36,000
<br />
<br />million tons underlie the uree.. p"troleum WId n~tur8.1 GO,s fr01<1 the Duk~ta
<br />
<br />horizon arc produced near Fort Collins, Borthoud, o.nd Bould8r, Color',clo.
<br />
<br />9. The water supply of the basin consists of surface, ground, .,nd
<br />
<br />tr:>nsmountQin diversion water; tho present o.verugG o.nnual supply fron :111
<br />
<br />three sources baing ~bout 2,800,000 Qcru-feet. Projects now under con-
<br />
<br />struction ~r still in the plo.nning stage will Qugmont tho latter supply und
<br />
<br />will furnish wo.t~r for production of lurg~ blocks of hydroelectric powor,
<br />
<br />which can be pi"od!-"ced economicCtlly in the m)unto.in o.reo.s. The effluonts
<br />
<br />from these plants. will be uV'c.ilable to supplement the present irriglltiol1
<br />
<br />water supply, but will require re-regulution to meet the sercsonCll demnnd.
<br />
<br />I-4
<br />
<br />'-
<br />
<br />_ _', ,""''''''.:.:_.;;&-~-''i-;-.a"~;!'"",,,~.;;,,-.:;;i:~',-;~...... _ -h~?L,~ ;v:....'""'."..
<br />
<br />, '
<br />~.':..;}.:c.~-~~_-'~.~~-,.;j .JB-~'---
<br />
<br />-~-'~-''''~
<br />
|