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<br />lU,OOO square miles. Of this area, some 46 percent is Federally and <br />State o~ned. The population of this area by the 1970 census was <br />18,000 or a density of 1.3 people to the square mile. \oIith a population <br />density this small the area supports six separate modern school districts, <br />3 separate county governments and many miles of roads. Schools and <br />county governments have been consolidated but the limit has been reached <br />as a practical matter because of the long distances between the small <br />CDr,lmun it i es. <br />With the exception of transportation, this area is basically in <br />the same s tate as when it was fi rs t sett1 ed some 1 ess than a century <br />ago. <br /> <br />The area has much potential. One of the greatest at this time is <br />probably recreation, however, large deposits of coal and oil shale, as <br />well as other carbon fuels, are present in the area along with other <br />minera 1 s. <br />Due to the terrain, many possibilities exist for Hydroelectric <br />POI'ler. This in these days of air pollution should not be overlooked to <br />satisfy the nations eyer growing hunger for power. <br />Agriculture at this time has poor rapport because of surplus, however, <br />North West Colorado agriculture is basically livestock production. Due <br />to the short growing season, grasses and forage for livestock production <br />is about the only agriculture activity that \-lould be produced by irrigation. <br />One has only to yisit the local market to realize that red meat is not in <br />surplus. <br />As everyone knows in the semi-arid 'Nest, development of all types is <br />soley dependent on -:later. North \-lest Colorado ilas an abundance of \'Jater <br />as is mentioned earlier and at the present only a minute aQount of the <br />