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<br />population. Population increases were greatest in those <br /> <br />counties where recreational activities, particularly winter <br /> <br />snow skiing, have developed extensively over the last ten <br /> <br />years. <br /> <br />Population projections made by the state Division of <br /> <br />Planning predict a sizeable increase in the number of people <br /> <br />in the Colorado River Basin over the period from 1970 to 2020. <br /> <br />These projections forecast a total population of 243,700 <br /> <br />people by the year 2020, an increase of 28 percent. Population <br /> <br />increases are projected to be greatest in Routt, Eagle, Pitkin, <br /> <br />Gunnison, Summit, and Garfield Counties. Projected increases <br /> <br />in the first five counties are based on continued recreational <br /> <br />developments, while the forecast for Garfield County reflects <br /> <br />the potential oil shale development. <br /> <br />Climate <br /> <br />The climate of the Colorado River Basin varies greatly, <br /> <br />but as a whole is generally considered semi-arid. The extremes <br /> <br />are due largely to the wide range in elevation and exposure. <br /> <br />The higher peaks along the continental Divide are over 14,000 <br /> <br />feet above sea level, while at the state line, near Grand <br /> <br />Junction, the Valley floor is only about 4,300 feet in elevation. <br /> <br />In the higher mountain parks and the alpine zones, low tempera- <br /> <br />,. <br />tures and higher effective precipitation combine to produce a <br /> <br />humid climate. <br /> <br />0279 <br /> <br />2 <br />