Laserfiche WebLink
<br />Two rather significant developments have influenced the economy <br />of the area. One was the introduction of the beet sugar '.industry <br />and the successful establishment of sugar refineries, which'have <br />tended to produce a type of farming centered mainly arOund the <br />growing of sugar beets and the feeding of livestock. The, other was <br />the expansion of irrigation facilities beyond the available water <br />supply.' Since irrigable land was plentiful, it was natural in the <br />process of water development' for irrigation companies to spread <br />the cost of irrigation works over as large an acreage as possible <br />in order to attract a maxinm.m number of land buyers and n9W settlers. <br />This brought more acres under irrigation projects than could be <br />served fully by the available water supply;' hence, water shortages <br />have continUally plagued the irrigators, particularly in years of <br />low runoff, in late summer months, and on lands with junior water <br />rights. -The present semi-intensive diversifiedtype.of a~riculture <br />has been developed mainly, as a means of making the most efficient <br />use of a water supply, which is inadequate, to obtain optimi.tm'agri- <br />cul toral production. The increased' water supply which will, be pro- <br />vided by Colorado-Big Thompson Project facilities will mak:e optimum <br />agricultural production possible. <br /> <br />Power <br /> <br />The natural topography encompassed by the project presents an <br />ideal opportunity for multiple use of water through installation <br />of hydroelectric power plants. The project water supply originates <br />in the mountainous upper reaches of the Colorado River Basin and is <br />delivered to the east slope of the Rocky Mountains at 8,250 feet <br />above sea leveL From here it must, be conveyed more than 20 miles <br />to the agricultural areas situated' on the western edge of the Great <br />Plains at about 5,400 feet above sea level. As the water makes <br />this tremendous drop of more than l'mile, it will be harnessed to <br />produce over a half billion kilowatt-hours of firm electric energy <br />annually. Revenues derived from marketing this energy will 'pay a <br />major proportion of project construction costs. ' <br /> <br />Recreation, Fish and Wildlife <br /> <br />Many project reservoirs are located in a region famous for its <br />mountains, forests, and streams. Superb recreational opportunities, <br />including winter sports, hunting, fishing, camping, and hiking, are <br />found in Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Rocky Mountain <br />National Park. Continued development of project-created resources, <br />in cooperation with the National Park Service and the Fish and <br />Wildlife Service, will assure maximum public use,of project <br />reservoirs. <br /> <br />5 <br />