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<br /> <br />. <br /> <br />CHAPTER I <br /> <br />GENERAL DISCUSSIONS <br /> <br />Crawford, a small con~unity located immediately north of the project <br />irrigable area, provides limited trade services. Larger trade centers are <br />Hotchkiss, located 10 miles north of Crawford, and Paonia, 9 miles beyond <br />Hotchkiss. Delta, the county seat of Delta County and a still larger trade <br />center, is 30 miles by high'fay northwest of CralTford. Montrose, the county <br />seat of Montrose County, is inaccessible as a trade center for the project <br />because of the trans]?ortation barrier created by Black Canyon. <br /> <br />Population census data for Delta and Montrose Counties and some of the <br />to-Ims and cities in the tHO counties are shol-ln for a 50-year period in the <br />foUolTing tabulation. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br /> Population data <br /> 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 <br />Counties <br />Delta 5,487 13,688 13,688 14,204 16,470 17,365 <br />Montrose 4,535 10,291 11,852 11,742 15,418 15,220 <br />Cities and towns y <br />Crawford y 149 157 221 170 <br />Hotchkiss II y 572 541 653 715 <br />Delta y 2,300 2,623 2,938 3,717 4,097 <br />Montrose y 3,254 3,581 3,566 4,764 4,964 <br />Y Data unavailable. <br /> <br />Industrial Develovment <br /> <br /> <br />Local industry <br /> <br />Agriculture is the only industry in the project area. Aside from a <br />felT people who make their living as merchants or craftsmen at Craufol'd, the <br />entire 'POpu1,a.tion depends directly on the land for a livelihood. Those fann <br />operators who find it necessary to '-TOrk off the :farm do so at seasonal jobs <br />such as sheep shearing, fruit harvesting, school bus <Sriving, and road Hork. <br /> <br />The zrajoragricultural enterprises are the raising of sheep and beef <br />cattle and dairying. Irrigated lands are used chiefly for the production <br />of alfalfa, small grains, grass hay, corn silage, and pasture for live- <br />stock feed. Beef cattle and sheep graze in the summer on nearby i<ational <br />forest lands and during the spring and fall on 10ller areas of public domain. <br /> <br />Small-scale lumbering operations are carried out in nearby forest <br />areas. Recreation is an important enterprise on forest lands near the <br />project area. Mountain streams a.'1d lalo:es provide good trout fishing. The <br />mountainous areas also provide good hunting for deer, elk, and small game. <br />The Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Monument attracts many tourists <br />but the principal access is from the southllest side, across the canyon <br />. from the project a.rea. The northeast rim of tl1e canyon may be reached, <br /> <br />4 <br />