WSP06469

• File Number: 8407.500
• Description: Platte River Basin - River Basin General Publications - Missouri River
• State: CO
• Basin: South Platte
• Water Division: 1
• Date: 8/1/1976
• Author: MRBC
• Title: Water and Related Land Resources in the Missouri River Basin - Present and Future Uses and Associated Problems and Issues - Technical Memorandum Number 2 - 1975 - Part One - Chapters I and II
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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Within the individual ASA's, 04--the Yellowstone Basin, is projected to
experience the greatest percent increase in population, its urban sector more
than doubling by the year 2000. Rural outmigration will be felt basinwide,
but is projected to be greatest in ASA's 05 and 06--the Dakotas--and ASA 10--
the Kansas River basin.

Employment in agriculture within the Missouri basin is projected to
decline by 69,000 persons by the year 2000, a decrease of 16 percent from
present levels.' This trend is generally uniform basinwide with the exception
of Colorado's South Platte basin (ASA 07) and a few less significant deviations.

Of those sectors examined, manufacturing is expected to experience the
greatest basinwide percentage increases in employment. The 1975 estimate
of 520,000 persons employed in manufacturing is forecast to increase by
nearly 300,000 employees by the year 2000. Nearly one-half of this increase
is expected to occur in ASA 07 and about one-fourth in ASA 11, while the largest
percentage increases are projected in the upper region ASA's and in ASA 07.

Employment in mining is predicted to double from the present level of
33,000 workers before the turn of the century. largest percentage increases
are foreseen in the Northern Great Plains region of Montana, Wyoming and
North Dakota.

Mean per capita income of Missouri basin inhabitants is currently estimated
at about $3,300, in terms of constant 1967 dollars. This amount is expected
to increase to nearly $5,300 by 19B5 and to exceed $8,000 by the year 2000.
ASA's with the highest present mean per capita income include 01, 02, 03, 04
(Montana portion) and 10 (Kansas portion). Areas anticipating the largest
rise in income per capita are ASA's 01, 02, 03, 04 (Montana portion), 07 and 09.

Primary land Use

Of the Missouri basin's approximately 323 million acres, more than 300
million, or 94 percent, are used in agriculture. The majority of those lands,
some 170 million acres, are utilized for pasture and rangeland. This particular
use is predominant in the vast western ASA's--02, 04, 05, 07 and 08. Forest
and woodland occupy another 28.6 million acres of land in the basin. This
use, and also pasture and range, are expected to decline slightly during the
next quarter century, contributing to an overall decrease in total agricultural
lands.

Irrigated lands, some 11 million acres, constitute about 4 percent of
the present agricultural total. lands in the Platte River basin (ASA's 07 and
08) and the Kansas River basin (ASA 10) account for two-thirds of all irrigation
in the region. Cropland, both irrigated and non-irrigated, are projected to
increase during the projected periods. Irrigated agriculture is foreseen as
expanding from the current level of 11 million acres by an additional 2.8
million acres by 1985 and is expected to cover 17.4 million acres by the year
2000. ASA's anticipating the greatest percentage gains in irrigated lands are
05, 06 and 11; largest 'absolute gains in irrigated acreage occur in ASA's 08
and 10.

Urban and transportation lands are forecasted to spread from their
present 7.4 million acres by 10 percent in 1985 and 23 percent in the year
2000.

Following is Table series SRF-l, "Socio-Economic Characteristics and
Primary land use."

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