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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />Power Market Survey - Colorado River Storage Project <br /> <br />SOO1ARY <br />-'-......-~ <br /> <br />The Region <br />The region selected for this study includes the states of Wyoming, <br />Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona, and the southern part of Nevada. <br />Small portions of Idaho and Texas were also included for convenience in <br />analyzing power requirements and supply data. <br /> <br />The region encompasses an area of over one-half million square miles. <br />For purposes of this study the vast territory was divided into six major <br />areas of which three (Areas III, Utah; IV, Colorado; and V, Wyoming) were <br />further broken down into eight subdivisions. The boundaries of the region <br />and its subdivisions are shown on Figure 1. <br /> <br />Topography and Climate <br />The region is characterized by numerous valleys surrounded by high <br />mountain ranges, but in generalis distinguished by its high plateaus <br />which range from less than 1,000 feet in altitude to over 8,000 feet. <br />Mountains tower above these plateaus, in some areas reaching altitudes of <br />over 14,000 feet. <br /> <br />Temperatures range from minus 50 degrees to over 100 degrees. <br />region is arid and, in general, rainfall is insufficient to support <br />without 8upplemental irrigation. <br /> <br />The <br />crops <br /> <br />Natural Resources <br />About 160 million acres of the 326 million acres in the region are <br />classified as farm land. However, only about 9.6 million acres are <br />cropped and less than 6.3 million acres are irrigated. About 150 million <br />acres of the "fann lands" are used primarily for grazing. <br /> <br />The region I s timber resources are comparatively small. Much of the <br />land designated as National Forests is not timbered and less than half. <br />of the forested area can be considered as cOllllllercially productive. <br /> <br />Over 25 percent of the nation's reserves of bituminous coal is <br />located in the tri-state area of COlorado, Utah, and Wyoming, and other <br />vast deposits lie in the four-corners area of New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, <br />and COlorado. Enormous copper deposits are in Arizona and Utah, and <br />smaller deposits are located throughout the region. Gold, silver, lead, <br />and zinc in substantial amounts have been found. The greatest of the <br />nation's known uraniUIII deposits are in the region. WyOllling contains <br /> <br />- iii - <br /> <br />