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. runoff from snow melt peaks during the spring and summer months with 65 to 75 percent of the annual total arising, on the average, during the period April through July (see fig. 3.2). ". .:.~;.. .....-.. :<\~:; I ~ Fish and wildlife resources are important components of the Upper ,-,) 00 Colorado River Region's natural environment. The Region supports out- ~ standing fish and wildlife habitats. Sport fishing is especially impor- ~n tant, attracting thousands of people each year. Game animals also attract thousands of visitors and residents alike, making hunting an important economic contributor to the Region. Finally, the aumpback chub, bony tail I chub, and Colorado River squawfish are on the Federal endangered species list in this Region. Oil Shale and Coal Resources The Green .River Formation is the geologic source of the most abundant oil shales in the United States (see fig. 5.1). Deposition of these oil shales occurred in a lacustrine (lake) environment. The three ancient lakes in which the Green River Formation was deposited were stable, two-layer lakes which did not overturn annually as most lakes do, probably due to their great depth. Thus, the special thermal and chemical characteristics of the lakes allowed the deposition of .thin-bedded oil shales and of a " , number of relatively rare carbonate minerals. which occur throughout the fo~a~;0' I tion. The chemistry of deposition is extremely complex. The organic matter that was deposited has become kerogen. The additional minerals include nahcolite, a sodium bicarbonate material which could be used as a source of soda ash or which could find a market as is for use in air. p.ollution control devi~es. A second mineral is dawsonite, which could become a source of alumina rivaling bauxite deposits in the United States. In southwestern Wyoming a third mineral, trona, is curr~ntly being mined commercially to produce sod~ ash. , Finally, halite, a standard salt, is also abundant in the deposits. It is difficult to assess the total amount of the Upper Basin's oil shale resource, but it is generally estimated to be vast. . The Green River Formation is estimated to contain more than 3 trillion barrels of oil- equivalent in-place. In Colorado, continuous oil shale sections IS to 2,000 feet thick, averaging at least 15 gallons per ton (gpt) , exist under 1,380 square miles. These sections contain richer portions averaging 25 gpt that represent 400 billion barrels of oil. Sections averaging 25 gpt in Utah are IS to 150 feet thick. and represent 120 billion barrels of oil in-place. Those in Wyoming are IS to 80 feet thick and represent 12 bil- lion barrels of oil. ,".:.1 ....... xviii