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I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 5.7 SOCIO ECONOMIC ASPECTS Because the immediate area is basically rural/wilderness socio-economic climate will geographical area. surrounding the dam and reservoir in nature, the definition of the be developed utilizing a larger On an overall basis, the area of socio and economic influence for the 1.5 million acres of the San Juan National Forest includes five counties in southwestern Colorado--La Plata, Montezuma, Archuleta, Dolores, and San Juan. It is estimated that the activities and outputs are directly or indirectly responsible for approximately 12% of the total employment within this area of influence [Land and Resource Management Plan - San Juan National Forest (L8}lP-SJNF) p. 11-2] Within the general area of influence is a population of 50,000. Projected population growth is expected to more than double over the next 30 years. Average income for the five-county area in 1973 was $3,630; and in 197B was $5,450. The total labor force in the five-county area in April 1980 was estimated to be 23,950 of which 22,600 were employed, for an overall unemployment rate of 5.6% (LRMP SJNF p. 11-3). This is slightly above the Colorado average of 3.6%. Approximately 28% of this employment or approximately 6,740 jobs were related to the activities and outputs of the San Juan National Forest. According to p. 11-3 of the Land and Resource l-lanagement Plan of the San Juan National Forest, "Based on an employment to population ratio of 1 to 24 for the area, it is estimated that these jobs support about 15,000 residents of the five-county area." The Forest Service's Rocky Mountain Region has been divided into Social Resource Units (SRU's) which serve as a foundation for assessing social, cultural, and economic interactions and are defined by natural boundaries (LRMP SJNF p. 11-3). The San Juan 5.0-23