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<br />. \. ",' .' -I <br />Ie: _'" J <br /> <br />Recent attempts to develop the tourist industry by <br />cOlIlIllunities surrounding Black Canyon have led to such <br />diverse developments as bed-and-breakfast lodging, <br />special events and festivals, tourist-promotion <br />organizations, and a legislative proposal to establish <br />the Black Canyon as a national park. Even the smallest <br />cOlIlIlluni ties are exploring schemes to develop tourism <br />and are experiencing increasing local support as the <br />value of al!riculture and minerals decline in the <br />region. This continues to focus a great deal of <br />attention on the monument as a tourist attraction. <br /> <br />The Gunnison River is a maj or source of irrigation <br />water and hydropower in the area. The Gunnison Tunnel, <br />one mile upstream from the monument boundary, diverts <br />900 cfs to irrigate 50,000 acres in the Uncompahgre <br />Valley. Crystal Dam, two miles upstream from the <br />monument boundary, assures sufficient discharge for <br />both the irrigation diversion and the monument. <br /> <br />The Dallas Creek Dam has been completed south of <br />Montrose at Ridgway. I t wi 11 supply addi tional water <br />for the Uncompahgre Valley and will provide <br />State-managed, water-based recreation. <br /> <br />The Fruitland Mesa Reclamation Project, designed to <br />bring irrigation to the North Rim area, could have <br />resulted in development and intrusion on the North Rim, <br />however has been tabled for the foreseeable future. <br /> <br />The Colorado Ute Electric Co~op has a dam proposal <br />which would back up downstream water to within a mile <br />of the west boundary of the monument, resulting in <br />impacts on the water ecology and river hydrology, as <br />well as on use patterns. At present, this project is <br />not economically feasible. <br /> <br />The mining of minerals, particularly coal, and the use <br />of locally-mined coal 18 miles northeast of the <br />monument could impact future air quality. Recent <br />trends, however, are toward the subs tantial reduction <br />of coal mining in nearby fields. <br /> <br />One important consideration is the general economic <br />decline in the area. Unemployment is high, with an <br />increasing out-migration of work-foree-aged people, and <br />an increasing in-migration of retired persons. Slow <br />but significant changes in population, land use and <br />economy are occurring, all of which may have impacts on <br />the monument. <br /> <br />15 <br />