Laserfiche WebLink
<br />-23- <br /> <br /> <br />'I r. 'J (I, lJ I. <br />Bu, ( .J,<>! <br /> <br />however, the basin contribution to total national production <br />increased from 4 percent to almost 8 percent. EXcept for <br />Nebraska and the Minnesota portion of the basin, all basin States <br />contain substantial coal reserves that are expected to be of <br />increasing national importance in the future. <br /> <br />The Missouri Basin is also an important source of crude <br />petroleum, natural gas, and uranium. Although total petroleUIII <br />output had declined from 1971 levels, production in 1973 still <br />accounted for 6.5 to 7 percent of the u.s. total. While the <br />future outlook for crude oil, oil shale, natural gas, and uranium <br />production is uncertain, new exploration and recovery efforts are <br />taking place. <br /> <br />Manufacturing activities in the Missouri Basin are varied, <br />but to a large degree reflect the economic predominance of <br />agriculture. Food processing and production of agriCultural <br />machinery contribute substantially to manufacturing earnings and <br />employment. Industrial composition projections indicate, <br />however, that a decline in the relative economic importance of <br />these typeS of activities is likely to occur. Other important <br />types of manufacturing include electronics, automobile assembly, <br />light industrial activity, paper and lumber production, and <br />chemical and petroleum production. At present, most industrial <br />activities are located in the southern subbasins. <br /> <br />Opporeunities to participate in diverse forms of outdoor <br />recreation activities are numerous throughout the basin. In <br />certain subbasins, including the Upper Missouri, Yellowstone, and <br />in the western portion of the Platt~Niobrara subbasin, <br />recreation and tourism are basic to the overall economy, with <br />recreational activities serving as the primary industry for some <br />local areas. <br /> <br />Land Use <br /> <br />The entire Missouri River Basin became the property of the <br />U.S. Government as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. <br />Although substantial land holdings are retained today as Federal <br />public domain, more than 86 percent of the basin's land is in <br />private, Indian, State, and local governmental ownerShip. Large <br />Federal tracts are managed by the Forest Service (19.4 million <br />acres), Buteau of Land Management (16.5 million acres), National <br />Park Service (2.3 million acres), Corps of Engineers (2.2 million <br />acres), the Water and Power Resources Service (1.0 million <br />acres): and lesser acreages (1.4 million acres) managed by the <br />