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<br />Water Management Study: Upper Rio Grande Basin <br /> <br />(MSAs). This percentage somewhat overstates the portion of the area's <br />population that actually has a metropolitan residence, because these are <br />large counties and each one contains both urban and nonurban residents, but <br />nonetheless, it is clear that economic activity in the area is highly <br />concentrated. <br /> <br />Furthermore, the level of concentration is increasing. During the period, <br />1990-94, for example, population growth in the four MSAs was markedly <br />greater than in the remainder of New Mexico (see Table 2.4). Planners and <br />economists generally anticipate that the Middle Rio Grande area will <br />continue to grow faster than the remainder of the state (Bureau of Business <br />and Economic Research 1994; Middle Rio Grande Council of Governments <br />1991). <br /> <br />,. <br />~ <br />'" <br /> <br />, <br />'I{" <br /> <br />i;t <br /> <br />I;: <br /> <br />-re;,' <br /> <br />Table 2.4.-Change in the study area's population, 1990-94 <br /> <br />< <br />. ~: <br /> <br />Area <br /> <br />Percent change in <br />population <br /> <br />.,' <br />.~ ' <br /> <br />Santa Fe MSA' <br />Albuquerque MSA' <br />Las Cruces MSA' <br /> <br />11.7 <br /> <br />'. <br />" <br /> <br />9.6 <br /> <br />14.7 <br /> <br />r~~ <br />r,', <br /> <br />Remainder of New Mexico <br /> <br />7.2 <br /> <br />". <br />~:~ <br />~ <br /> <br />EI Paso MSA' <br /> <br />12.4 <br /> <br />Source: ECONorthwest with data from the Bureau of Business and <br />Economic Research (1995). <br />1 MSA _ Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the Census Bureau. <br /> <br />V' <br />::; <br />~,':-{ <br /> <br />By concluding that the study area's metropolitan centers contain most of the <br />area's economic activity and generate most of the growth in population and <br />jobs, we are not saying that the nonmetropolitan areas are unimportant. <br />Instead, we are saying that, although from a geographic perspective the <br />Upper Rio Grande Basin is predominantly nonmetropolitan, from an <br />economic perspective it is predominantly metropolitan. Metropolitan areas <br />contain nearly all of the investment, labor, infrastructure, and other <br />elements that constitute the area's economy. Furthermore, nearly all of the <br />future growth in the economy is likely to occur in the metropolitan areas. <br /> <br />~r <br /> <br />54 <br /> <br />(<,2935 <br /> <br />;:~: <br />;~i <br />