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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 />~ <br /> <br />in ~~e.fir.st five =~~~~ic~ are basec qn =on~i~~c= ====c~~i~~~l~ <br /> <br />developments. while the forecast for Garfield County reflects <br /> <br />the potential oil shale development. <br /> <br />Climate <br /> <br />~ <br />~ <br />o <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 />~ <br /> <br />In the higher mountain parks and the alpine zones, low tempera- <br /> <br />tures and higher effective precipitation combine to produce a <br /> <br />humid;climate. <br />~~ <br />7 <br /> <br />2 <br />