Geography of Colorado

Introduction to Geography of Colorado

Colorado, one of the states in the west-central United States. It is crossed by the snowcapped Rocky Mountains and is sometimes called the “Top of the Nation,” because its mean (average) elevation—6,800 feet (2,073 m)—is the highest of any state.

With flat, treeless plains flanking the Rockies on the east and rugged, deeply eroded plateaus on the west, Colorado possesses great and varied natural beauty. Its magnificent scenery, clean mountain air, and abundant sunshine are major attractions for residents and visitors alike and account for much of the state's rapid growth since World War II. Besides scenic and recreational value, the mountains have many resources that contribute to Colorado's prosperity. Gold and silver deposits in the Rockies brought the first wave of settlers to the region in the late 1850's, and mining has played a major role in the economy ever since. The mountains' water resources have also become extremely important during the 20th century.

Historically, Colorado is part of the Old West, shaped by gold rushes, boom towns, cattle barons, "sod-busters," and range wars. Visitors and a few hardy prospectors still pan for gold in streams near Central City, Cripple Creek, and Silverton, and Colorado is one of the few states where solitary cowboys ride the range on horseback, as they did a century ago.

Physical Geography

Colorado lies in three major physical regions of the United States—the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains, and the Colorado Plateau.

The Great Plains. Eastern Colorado is part of the Great Plains. This section is some 150 miles (240 km) wide and covers more than a third of the state. It consists mainly of level to rolling land that slopes gradually upward to the foot of the Rocky Mountains. Elevations vary from about 3,400 feet (1,040 m) along the state's eastern border to as much as 6,000 feet (1,830 m) at the edge of the Rockies. Near the mountains and throughout much of the south the terrain becomes rougher and more varied. The southern section is broken by numerous mesas, buttes, and gorges.

The Rocky Mountains rise abruptly from the plains and consist of a complex system of ranges, 75 to 175 miles (120 to 280 km) wide. Ranges in the east include the Front Range and parts of the Medicine Bow and Sangre de Cristo mountains. To the west lie the Park and Sawatch ranges and the northern part of the San Juan Mountains. The Continental Divide follows the crest of the higher ranges, separating waters that flow westward into the Pacific Ocean from those that drain eastward into the Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico In Colorado, the area west of the divide is often called the Western Slope; the area east of it, the Eastern Slope.

Colorado's ranges, the highest in the Rocky Mountain system, contain more than 50 peaks exceeding 14,000 feet (4,267 m). Maximum elevations occur in the jagged Sawatch Range, where Mount Elbert reaches 14,433 feet (4,399 m). Only slightly lower are nearby Mounts Massive and Harvard. Probably best known of Colorado's summits is 14,110-foot (4,301-m) Pikes Peak, a semi-isolated peak in the Front Range.

Within the mountains, at elevations of 6,000 to 9,000 feet (1,830 to 2,740 m) are several broad, level basins, or parks. North, Middle, and South parks are enclosed mainly by the Front, Park, and Sawatch ranges. Farther south, between the Sangre de Cristo and San Juan mountains, lies the San Luis Valley. Part of the huge Wyoming Basin, which separates the southern and middle sections of the Rockies, extends into the northwestern part of Colorado.

The Colorado Plateau is an area of eroded tablelands 5,000 to 11,000 feet (1,520 to 3,350 m) above sea level south of the Wyoming Basin. The section lying in Colorado covers about a fifth of the state and consists mainly of Mesa Verde and the Uncompahgre and Roan plateaus.

Colorado's major rivers begin in the Rockies near the Continental Divide. The Colorado River, with such headstreams and tributaries as the Yampa, White, Gunnison, and Dolores, drains the Western Slope. The Eastern Slope is drained primarily by the South Platte and Arkansas rivers, which flow from the mountains across the Great Plains. The Rio Grande begins in the San Juan Mountains and drains the San Luis Valley. In the mountains and western plateaus many rivers have carved deep canyons and gorges. Among the most spectacular are the Black Canyon of the Gunnison and Royal Gorge on the Arkansas.

Numerous dams and reclamation projects on the rivers provide water for irrigation and municipal and industrial use; they also supply some hydroelectric power. The Colorado-Big Thompson and Fryingpan-Arkansas projects, two of the largest, divert water from the Western Slope, which has two-thirds of the state's surface water, to the Eastern Slope, where most of the population and farmland are concentrated.

There are hundreds of natural and man-made lakes in Colorado, all of them relatively small. The largest are impounded by dams and include Lake Granby and John Martin and Blue Mesa reservoirs.

The Rocky Mountains and the state's inland location are the major factors determining Colorado's climate. In general, the weather is dry and invigorating and is marked by abundant sunshine.

Climatic conditions are most uniform on the Great Plains. Winters here are cold, with January temperatures averaging between 25° and 30° F. (-4° and -1° C.). Periods of frigid weather, when temperatures drop to 0° F. (-18° C.) and below, alternate with relatively mild spells brought on by warm chinook winds that blow from the mountains. Summers are warm to hot, with average temperatures in July ranging from 73° to 79° F. (23° to 26° C.) and daytime highs of 90° F. (32° C.) or more. At high elevations near the mountains, nights are cool.

Precipitation in Colorado usually averages 10 to 15 inches (250 to 380 mm) a year, most of it coming as rain during spring and early summer. Droughts periodically strike the plains. They are most severe in the southeast, which was part of the Dust Bowl in the 1930's.

The climate of the mountains and the high western plateaus depends largely on elevation and exposure to sunlight and prevailing winds. In general, as altitude increases, temperature decreases and precipitation increases, but great variations may occur. Average temperatures at mountain stations range from 10° to 20° F. (-12° to -7° C.) in January and from 55° to 65° F. (13° to 18° C.) in July. Readings below 0° F. (-18° C.) are common in winter. Daytime highs in summer may reach 80° F. (27° C.) or more, but nights are quite cool. Most of central and western Colorado receives 15 to 25 inches (380 to 640 mm) of precipitation a year, with the greatest amounts falling as snow on the western slopes of mountains. In the San Luis Valley and parts of the Colorado Plateau annual precipitation totals less than 10 inches (250 mm).

Except in the mountains, the growing season usually lasts 120 to 180 days, depending on location and elevation.

Because of the variations in climate and altitude, Colorado has a great diversity of plant life. Forests, most of which are federally owned, cover about a third of the state, concentrated on the slopes of the Rockies and the higher parts of the Colorado Plateau. Conifers, including several species of pine, fir, and spruce, are the most numerous and economically valuable trees. Mixed with the conifers are stands of quaking aspen, a deciduous tree with leaves that turn brilliant gold in autumn.

Short grasses, such as buffalo grass and blue grama, once covered the Great Plains, but the spread of agriculture has destroyed much of this natural vegetation. Except for black willows and cottonwoods growing along the riverbanks, the plains are virtually treeless. Cactus, yucca, and other desert or semidesert plants grow in the drier parts of the state.

Hundreds of different kinds of wild flowers are found in Colorado. One of the most common and widespread is the Rocky Mountain columbine—the state flower.

Few states can match Colorado in the variety of its wildlife. Large animals include deer, elk (wapiti), pronghorns (antelope), black bears, bighorn sheep, mountain lions, and a few grizzly bears and bison (buffalo). Among the many birds found in the state are eagles, buzzards, sandhill cranes, road-runners, ptarmigans, wild turkeys, ducks, geese, and quail. Colorado lakes and streams abound with several kinds of trout and other freshwater fish.

Economy

Since gold was first discovered in the Rockies in the 1850's, Colorado has changed from a rugged frontier of boomtowns and mining camps to a prosperous state with a modern diversified economy. Agriculture and mining dominated all other activities until World War II. Since then, rapid growth in manufacturing and other sectors has greatly broadened the economic base. Government (federal, state, and local), retail trade, the service industries, and manufacturing employ the largest number of workers. Tourism is also a major and growing part of the economy.

Colorado had few manufacturing industries until World War II stimulated large-scale industrialization. Since the war numerous industries, especially in the electronic and aerospace fields, have been attracted to the state. Nearly all manufacturing is concentrated in cities along the western edge of the plains; more than two-thirds is in metropolitan Denver.

Food processing, based on local agricultural production, usually contributes much of the value of all manufacturing in Colorado. Of chief importance are meat packing, the bottling of soft drinks, and beer brewing. The manufacturing of electrical and electronic equipment and computer products follow food processing in importance. These industries are the fastest growing in the state and account for much of the industrial expansion in recent years. Products include devices that store computer data, electronic components and devices, semiconductors, and measuring instruments.

Other major industries produce fabricated metal products and chemicals. There is a large iron and steel complex at Pueblo.

Despite a decline in relative value, agriculture remains a vital sector of Colorado's economy. Nearly three-fifths of the state is classed as farmland. The rugged central and western parts of the state are used chiefly for grazing; the plains, for raising both crops and livestock. Farms tend to be large, averaging about 1,250 acres (505 hectares).

Roughly 75 per cent of all farm income is derived from livestock. Beef cattle and calves, including animals shipped to Colorado feedlots from other states, provide most of the total. Sheep and lambs are grazed in the mountains and western uplands; the state is a major producer of spring lamb and wool. Dairying is important around the major cities.

Because of variable and sometimes inadequate rainfall on the plains, crop production in Colorado fluctuates considerably. Several good years are usually followed by one or more poor ones. Irrigation is widely practiced in the South Platte basin north of Denver, in the San Luis Valley, and along the Arkansas and Colorado rivers.

Wheat—grown mainly by dry-farming methods—and corn are the leading crops in value. Other crops cultivated include hay and barley. Sugar beets and potatoes are the chief irrigated crops. Peaches are grown in significant quantities. Vegetables—especially onions and lettuce—are also important.

Petroleum, natural gas, and coal are the most important of Colorado's varied mineral resources. The Henderson Mine, in Clear Creek County, is a major producer of molybdenum. Petroleum, most of which is piped to other states for refining, comes from large oil fields in the Wyoming Basin and on the northern plains. Other important minerals include sand and gravel, coal, granite, and limestone. Small amounts of a number of other minerals, including gold and silver, are also mined or obtained as by-products. Denver serves as a major center for companies engaged in the exploitation of energy resources throughout much of the western United States.

Its pleasant climate, spectacular scenery, and year-round sports and recreational facilities make Colorado one of the nation's most popular vacation areas. The money spent in the state by visitors each year makes tourism nearly as important as agriculture and mining in Colorado's economy. There are numerous winter resorts, with some of the finest skiing facilities in the United States.

Despite its mountainous terrain, Colorado has a modern, well-developed transportation system. Denver is the transportation hub for much of the Rocky Mountain and Great Plains regions of the United States.

Most of the railway trackage is east of the Rockies; few lines traverse the mountainous part of the state. Roads and highways, including three Interstate highways, criss-cross the state and wind through the mountains over passes as much as 12,000 feet (3,660 m) above sea level. Some of the higher passes are closed by snow during winter. DenverInternational Airport is one of the busiest commercial facilities in the nation.

The People

A large portion of Colorado's residents are descended from American-born pioneers of English, German, Scandinavian, or Irish stock, who migrated to the area during the second half of the 19th century. A sizable number of Mexican-Americans live in the Denver area and in the southern part of the state.

The majority of Coloradans are Protestant, but Roman Catholics make up the largest single religious group. Among Protestant denominations Baptists and Methodists are the largest groups.

In rank among states Colorado moved up from 26th place in 1990 to 24th in 2000. Much of the growth stemmed from migration to Colorado from other areas of the country.

About 83 per cent of the people were white and 4 per cent, black. People of Hispanic origin made up about 17 per cent of the population.

Population density in 2000 was 41.5 persons per square mile (16.0 per km2), about half that for the nation as a whole. About three-fourths of the people lived in a narrow band just east of the Rockies, and about half the total lived in the Denver metropolitan area alone. Elsewhere settlement was generally sparse, and large areas of the state remained virtually uninhabited.

Education

The commissioner of education heads the public school system. He is appointed by the state board of education, whose members are elected by the people. School attendance is compulsory for children from age 7 to age 16.

Colorado's first school was established in the Cherry Creek area (now Denver) in 1859. It was a crude log cabin operated as a private school by O. J. Goldrick, whose first pupils were children of gold miners. The first permanent public school was put up at Boulder in 1859.

The University of Colorado was established in 1861 by the territorial legislature and opened, at Boulder, in 1877 after Colorado became a state. In addition to the main campus at Boulder, there are branches at Colorado Springs and Denver. Also in Denver is the university's Health Sciences Center.The Colorado School of Mines, at Golden, is the country's foremost school of earth sciences. The United States Air Force Academy, noted for its ultramodern campus, is near Colorado Springs.

Government

Colorado is governed under its original constitution of 1876, as amended. Executive authority is vested in the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, and treasurer. All are elected for four-year terms.

The state legislature, called the General Assembly, meets annually. It consists of two houses. The Senate has 35 members, elected for four-year terms. The House of Representatives has 65 members, elected for two-year terms.

The judicial system consists of a supreme court and several kinds of lower courts. The judges of all state courts are initially appointed by the governor; they later run on their records for retention.

Colorado is divided into 64 counties. The state is represented in Congress by two senators and seven representatives.