WSP06798

• File Number: 8040.260
• Description: Section D General Studies-Oil Shale/Coal
• Date: 7/6/1981
• Title: 13a-Oil Shale Data and Notes-Federal Register-Vol 46 No 128-Part III-Water Resources Council-Synthetic Fuels Development for the Upper Colorado Region Water Assessment
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

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Federal Register I Vol. 46, No. 126 I Monday. July e. 1981 I Notices

35057

One-third forested. the Region is
characterized by mountains, plateaus.
and valley basins. Mountains {ann a
perimeter on the east, .....est. and north.
The dry climate exhibits wide variations
in temperature due to seasonal changes
and elevalion differences.
Agriculture is the dominant land and
waler use, with mineral extraction tbe
leading activity in dollars of outpul. The
Region contains outstanding fish and
wildlife habitats. Sporl fishing. hunting.
and year-around tourism and recreation
also contribute to the Region's economy.
The Femrsl Government controls
about 60 percent of the tand in the
Region. most of which Is. managed by
the Buteau of Land Management. The
remaining 40 percent is in private. tribal,
and State ownership. in descending
order. The area is sparSely settled. The
1975 population was about 438.000

..I

people.
The Region's wafer resources serve an
area much greater than that of the Upper
Basin alone. Through transbasin
diversions. the Upper Basin resources
supply municipal and agricultural needs
to the east, including the City of Denver,
to the south (Upper Rio Grande Basin).
and to the west (Central Utah Project).
Outflows from the Upper Basin. under
provisions of the Colorado River
Compact. are the principal supply
soun:e for users in the Lower Basin and
for transbasin diversions to users in
Southern California and Nevada.
1. Oil ShoJe Resources. The Green
River FormaUon (figure 2). the major oil
shale IOurce in the United Statel, was
formed in andent lakel of great depth.
The thennal and chemical
characteristics of the lakel allowed the
deposition of thin.bedded oil shales and

8 number of relath'ely rare carbonate
minerals. The formation is estlmaled 10
contain more than 3 trillion barrels of
oil. Estima les for deposits thicker Ihan
15 feet, yielding more than 15 gallons per
ton, place Colorado's resourcei 11.1400
billion barrels. Utah's at 120 billion
barrels, and W}:oming's at 12 billion
barrels.
2. Cool Resources. The coals of the
Upper Colorado Region constitute a
major portion of tolal western coal
reserves (Figure 3). with discowries
every year adding to the Region's
potentiaL These generally good quality
bituminoU$ and subbiruminous coals
and an anthracite deposlt in Gunnison
County. Colorado, have desirable
characteristics' including low sulfur and
ash conlen!s and medium- to high.Blu
values.

"LUtoIG CODE N'O-OI"

0383