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<br />o <br />/ L~ <br />.. . <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />.... <br /> <br />STATEMENT <br /> <br />COLORADO WATER CONSERVATION BOARD <br />March 21, 1973 <br /> <br />THE SA~ MIGUEL BASIN COVERS APPROXIMATELY 2570 SQUARE MILES <br />IN SOUTHWESTERN COLORADO, 78% OF WHICH IS GOVERNMENT-OWNED LAND, AND <br />INCLUDES ALL OF SAN MIGUEL COUNTY, THE WEST HALF OF MONTROSE COUNTY <br />AND THE TOWNS OF TELLURIDE, NORWOOD, NATURITA AND NUCLA. THE TERRAIN <br />IS EXTREMELY DIVERSE. IN THE EAST, THE SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS HAVE PEAKS <br />,RISING TO 14,000 FT. ABOVE SEA LEVEL. AT THE NORTH EDGE OF THE SAN <br />MIGUEL BASIN, THE ELEVATION DROPS TO 4,900 FT. WHERE THE DOLORES <br />RIVER CROSSES INTO MESA COUNTY. <br /> <br />THE HIGH PERCENTAGE OF GOVERNMENT-OWNED LAND (78%) LIMITS THE <br />BASE FOR AD VALOREM PROPERTY TAXES AND IT ALSO TENDS TO LIMIT ECONOMIC <br /> <br />ACTIVITIES TO THOSE PERMITTED ON GOVERNMENT-OWNED LAND, NAMELY, MINING, <br /> <br />GRAZING, LOGGING AND CERTAIN RECREATION ACTIVITIES SUCH AS SKIING AND <br />HUNTING. <br /> <br />THE ECONOMY IS BASED ON AGRICULTURE, MINING AND A VERY SMALL <br />PART ON RECREATION. THE EXTREME ISOLATION OF THE SAN MIGUEL BASIN, <br />PLUS AN UNSTABLE WATER SUPPLY HAS RESTRICTED THE ECONOMIC ACTIVITY <br />AND GROWTH OF THE AREA. <br /> <br />THE POPULATION TREND HAS SHOWN A DECLINE FROM 8,419 PEOPLE IN <br />1960 TO 5,909 IN 1970. MOST OF THE EGRESS HAS BEEN YOUNG PEOPLE <br />LEAVING THE AREA TO FIND JOBS IN THE BIG CITIES. <br /> <br />THE NEAREST STOP LIGHT, HOSPITAL AND LARGE SHOPPING CENTER ARE <br />SEVENTY MILES AWAY. THERE ARE NO RAILROADS, SCHEDULED AIRLINES OR <br />