WSP08184

• File Number: 8200.765
• Description: White River General
• State: CO
• Basin: Yampa/White
• Water Division: 6
• Date: 11/1/1966
• Author: USFS
• Title: Water and Related Land Resources - White River Basin in Colorado
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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WATER AND RELATED LAND RESOURCES

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WHITE RIVER BASIN IN COLORADO

SUMMARY

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This report presents information on the water and related land
resources of the White River Basin in Colorado. It is based on
a cooperative study by the Colorado Water Conservation Board and
rhe U. S. Department of Agriculture. Participation by the Depart-
ment of Agriculture was authorized under provisions of Section 6
of Public Law 566, 83rd Congress, as amended and supplemented.

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The Basin encompasses 3,808 square mi1es--about 4 percent of the
State of Colorado. Elevations range from 5,000 to 12,000 feet
above sea level. Average annual precipitation varies from less
than 9 inches to more than 30 inches. Average annual frost-free
period for cropland varies from less than 50 days to about 124
days.

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Seventy-seven percent of the land is in Federal ownership, 21 per-
cent is privately owned, and 2 percent is owned by State and local
governments. Less than 3 percent of the land is used for crop
production. The remaining 97 percent is used for grazing, timber
production, wilderness, watershed, recreation, and other purposes
(Land Resource Frontispiece). Extensive oil-shale deposits consti-
tute an undeveloped natural resource of great economic potential.

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The Basin is sparsely populated. The 1960 population was 5,560.
Population increased more than 80 percent between 1940 and 1960,
primarily as a result of oil and gas development. Projected
population based on development of coal for power and the shale-
oil industry is 20,000 by 1980, 186,000 by the year 2000, and
204,000 by 2020.

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The average irrigated acreage during the 1943-60 period was 35,200
acres. Dry cropland occupied 34,100 acres. An estimated 23,600
acres has a potential for being developed for irrigation, part from
present dry cropland acreage, Projection of irrigated and dry crop-
land acreages are 52,150 and 27,000 respectively for 1980, 50,150
and 25,000 for the year 2000, and 47,600 and 24,000 for 2020,

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