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<br />Problems <br /> <br />The State's Comprehensive Recreation Plan indicates there now exists an <br />excess of fishing opportunities in the vicinity of the watershed. <br />According to the comprehensive plan, hunting opportunities are needed, <br />and this need will increase. At the present time, there is a need for <br />238,000 additional activity days for hunting (especially small game), <br />and this need will increase to almost 367,000 days by 1980. <br /> <br />There is an apparent need for hunting opportunities which can be assisted <br />by development of wildlife habitat, but there is no apparent need for <br />fishing areas. <br /> <br />Endangered bird species in the project area include the' prairie and <br />peregrine falcons, bald eagles and possibly the greater prairie chicken. <br /> <br />Economic and Social <br /> <br />Sedgwick County and the watershed are characterized by relatively high <br />out-migration, comparatively high farm level of living, and lowemploy- <br />ment in manufacturing or basic' industries other than fa'rming. The Great <br />Western Sugar Factory, American Fertilizer and Chemical Company mixing, <br />plant and farmers I gra i n e I,evators located in the watershed prbv i de <br />mostly seasonal Jobs. <br /> <br />"FIle -u.s.- -GeR su s--s-llOws-peak-popu+a-t-i-oA-fOJ'.-Sed gwk-k-Cou nt-'f-Wa-S-5,-S8O- - --- <br />people in 1930. Population decl ined slowly to 5,095 in 1950, then ' <br />dropped more rapidly to 4,024 in 1960 and to 3,405 in 1970. The county <br />population dropped 19.7'percent from 1960 through 1970, and the popula- <br />'tion of the two towns in the watershed -'Sedgwick and Ovid - dropped <br />30.4 and 18.9 percent, respectively, during this period. <br /> <br />Unemployment for Sedgwick County is 2.4 percent for the civilian labor <br />force. Families earning less than poverty level comprise 13.5 percent <br />and those earn i ng $15,000 or more 17.9 percent (1970 census). 1970 <br />census averages for, the state show unemployment to be 4.2 percent of the <br />available civil ian labor force; fainil ies earl ing less than, poverty <br />level, 9.1 percent, and for those earning more than $15,000,19.7 per- <br />cent. " <br /> <br />The above differences reflect the'problems of lack of opportunity for <br />employment in ,the rural non-farm and farm areas and the lower income <br />available to workers. This is reflected in the present trend to larger <br />and fewer farm and ranch units together with mechanization further <br />reducing employment opportunities. <br /> <br />As a result, of these, trends, the greatest proportion of emigrants are <br />the young people who~are entering colleges or are going to the cities to <br />find economic opportunities.' There is a need for aMitional employment <br /> <br />25 <br />