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Abstract

Nearly 2 trillion barrels of oil are contained in the Green River oil shale formation of Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. However, resource limitations of technology, capital, water and land, as well as great environmental problems of air and water quality, stand in the way of using this oil. Much of the water for oil shale development in Colorado, the area of richest oil shale deposits, would probably have to be diverted from agricultural uses. As much as 20 percent of irrigated farming in Colorado could be lost by such water diversion to oil shale use. However, irrigation losses to farming in Utah and Wyoming would probably be slight from oil shale development in those states. Careful planning could minimize declines in irrigation. In general, impacts on agriculture from land use for oil shale development would not be significant.

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