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<br />001651
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<br />The Western Slope diversion area had a total po~ulation of only
<br />
<br />1,840 in 1940. From a high of 8,930 persons in 1890, at the peak of
<br />
<br />the mining boom, the population eteail.i1y decreased to 1,770 in 1930.
<br />
<br />~he gradual decreaee and stabilization of the minin~ industry was
<br />
<br />partially offset by an increase in the integrated 1ivestock-range-irri-
<br />
<br />gation type of agriculture which smoothed the downward population trend.
<br />
<br />As of 1940 the largeet community in the diversion area was Aspen, with
<br />a population of 777 persons. .;1!,," ,)'~,.." ,.1" /. ,_, ,..'. ') ;'-.;'.;,,, '" /1.,,','.,
<br />,
<br />/::-t..,~-,. ...!.~ -(/,,".<"(L 'J.."l-,~t-....I,,,,. ...'.... -',,'1. ,.". .....,,11.......,.,..- ,-;)..1..,"..','
<br />{,
<br />
<br />Aericul ture
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<br />Statietics for 1940 disclose that of the total land area of
<br />
<br />17,359,000 acrss on both slopss, 10.2 percent was cultivated, made up
<br />
<br />of 2.5 percent irrigated end 7.7 percent dry-farmed. In additiun to
<br />
<br />the 78.9 percent directly classified as grazing land, much of the 9.1
<br />
<br />percent of the total land area classed aa timberland was also grazed.
<br />
<br />Thus, between 89.2 percent end 98.3 percent of the total land area on
<br />
<br />
<br />both elopes was utilized for agricultural pu~oses in 1940. The
<br />
<br />rsmainder was claesified as mineral land or used for culturs or mis-
<br />
<br />cellaneous purposes. The overall land utilization has not changed
<br />
<br />'?
<br />.
<br />
<br />greatly eince 1940.
<br />On ths Eastern Slope, cultivated land in 1940 comprised 10.6 peI'-
<br />
<br />cent of the total land area of 16,736,000 acres, of which irrigated
<br />
<br />land amounted to 2.5 percent and ~"-farm land amounted to 8.1 percent.
<br />
<br />Grazing land accounted for 81.2 percent of the total, whereas timber-
<br />
<br />land, also extensively used for grazing, comprised 6.7 percent of the
<br />
<br />Eastern Slope area. The dry-farmed acreage varies from year to year.
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