WSP04443

• File Number: 8407.500
• Description: Platte River Basin - River Basin General Publications - Missouri River
• State: CO
• Basin: South Platte
• Water Division: 1
• Date: 12/1/1971
• Author: Missouri Basin Inter
• Title: Missouri River Basin Comprehensive Framework Study - Volume V - Present and Future Needs - Appendix
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

post-war years, with accompanying industrial develop-
ment, tended to enhance the urban population.
The rural farm population decreased 40 percent
between 1940 and 1960, while the rural nonfarm
population increased 20 percent for the same period.
The urban population, comprising people living in
cities with a population of 2,500 or more, was about 4.6
million in 1960. A summary of urban places by number
and size follows:

Item

Urban Places in J 960
No. Percent of Population

Total urban places
SMSA'sl
Other urban places by
number of people:
25,000-50,000
10,000-25,000
5,000-10,000
2,500- 5,000

207 100.0
I I 64.8

] I 8.1
34 1 1.0
51 8.2
100 7.9

1 A standard metropolitan statistical area (SMSA) comprises
a county or group of counties containing at least one cit.y of
50,000 inhabitants or contiguous cities with a combined
population of 50,000 or more. At least 75 percent of the
labor force in a county must be nonagricultural, and the
county must have a density of 150 persons per square miie.

Plate I shows metropolitan areas and urban places of
the basin. On plate 2, population projections for the
basin (and subbasins) indicate a steady basin growth to
about 2~ times the 1960 population by 2020.
Prior to 1900, the basin served as a safety valve by
providing the eastern population a place to move if
congestion became excessive. The vast majority of
people who left the basin's farms have migrated to the
cities, both within and outside of the basin. Even though
untrained for off-farm employment, most of these
migrants have been provided with a better standard of
living and greater livelihood opportunities. This has been
especially true for the young, who are just beginning
their productive lives_ Some of the Missouri Basin States
have experienced out-migration of the most productive
age group (20-34). During the period of 1950-60, South
Dakota, for example, lost some 94,000 persons of whom
38 percent were of this most-productive age group.
These are the people in which the states have made great
capital investments in education and training. This
constitutes a loss of the human resource; for South
Dakota it represented 23 percent of the population in
the 20-34 year age group. Out-migra.tion for the total
state population amounted to ahout 14 percent. This is
the part of.the region's population that is best able to
pay taxes and is most willing to make the capital
improvements to stimulate permanent growth.
Agriculture has experienced a revolution or at least
some drastic changes in the last decade. Modern tech-

.\6

nology has made agricultural land and labor vastly more
productive. The vast production capacity of the agricul-
tural industry has created economic conditions which
make efficient use of land. labor, and capital. Ever
increasing sizes of farms. either through physical ex-
pansion or intensification, have resulted. Both contri-
bute to further problems. Intensification increases the
total output of the industry and adds further to
economic woes. Expansion in size eliminates employ-
...ment and intensifies the migration to industries in urban
areas, usually in other regions since this region is
essentially agriculturally oriented. The number of farms
in the Missouri Basin decreased by nearly 150.000
between 1949 and 1964, or nearly 30 percent of the
] 949 level. Since 1954, about one out of every five farm
operators has changed occupation or retired without
being replaced. This out-migration results in reper-
cussions both in the area of departure and the new area
of arrival. The out-migration seriously affects the social
and economic base of the community, county, and state.
The churches, school districts, and the many community
businesses and services find it difficult to continue their
operations in the presence of a shrinking economic base.
Concomitant with the out-migration of rural popula-
tion has been a rather dramatic increase in urban
populations; however, the urban growth has been very
selective. Urban centers whose business has remained
that of serving agriculture have not grown. Most small
towns and hamlets have actually lost population_ The
exceptions are the county seats or towns which have
been able to retain other governmental functions,
develop tourist services, or become "bedroom
communities" for larger urban neighbors.
With the decline of the small towns, larger cities have
tended to take over their service functions. Conse-
quently, travel distances have become greater as the rural
population turns to the "distant" city to satisfy most of
the rural needs.
The large metropolitan areas have experienced the
highest percent of growth since the ] 930's. These
centers have continued to function as the gateways to
commerce within the basin. In addition, their bases have
become diversified with manufacturing, food processing,
professional services, and governmental functions being
important segments of their economies.
One of the very striking characteristics of the basin is
the absence of large urban centers on the plains. By far
the largest concentration of population is along the
eastern edge of the basin, with a secondary concentra-
tion along the foot of the mountains in the west.
Between these two there are virtually no urban places of
material significance.
Metal refining, oil, governmental institutions. educa-
tion facilities, and tourism have provided most of the
economic growth for the few larger towns and cities in
the plains. Only a few cities in the vicinity of large