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<br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />002?U9 <br /> <br />Some float trips on rubber rafts occur on the White River near <br />Rangely, but the more popular trips are upstream near Meeker. <br /> <br />L. Aesthetics and Visual Analyses <br /> <br />Presently, the aesthetics and visual analyses in the reservoir <br />area are those associated with a medium-sized river traversing through <br />arid rolling hills. The valleys lack palisades and heavy forestation. <br />Vegetation cover is light and of regular occurrence. The hillsides <br />have sagebrush, juniper,and pinyon cover. <br /> <br />The region lacks beautiful, scenic views, exciting unique rock <br />features or any other type of feature that attracts tourists. The <br />average tourist finds the area rather non-descript and does not tarry <br />long but continues his travels through the area as quickly as possible. <br /> <br />M. Archeology and History <br /> <br />It is possible that Rio Blanco County was, in prehistoric times, <br />frequented by migrating hunting and food gathering peoples who may have <br />been attracted to the area by the presence of water and the relatively <br />abundant plant and animal resources of the White River flood plain. A <br />detailed survey has not been made for traces of these people. There <br />are no identified archeological sites that would be affected (4). <br /> <br />This region is considered to have been part of the lands of the <br />Ute Nation until the Indians were moved to reservations in Utah in <br />1879. The nomadic Utes left very little trace of their habitations <br />or use of the lands in the vicinity of the project. <br /> <br />The original white settlements were made in the 1880's and <br />1890's by cattle ranchers. Homesteads were built along the White <br /> <br />11-29 <br />