Of golf and grains: three essays on resource use in the new American West

Abstract

The state of Colorado, and indeed much of the Western United States, has experienced rapid population growth and economic development over the past 50 years, transforming this once largely rural region dominated by agriculture and mining into an increasingly urban and suburban population with a diverse economy. The implications of this transformation on the region's natural resource base are numerous and complex. Industries associated with population growth such as golf and house remodeling now show similar gross sales to grain farming and cattle production respectively. This dissertation examines forces that drive land and water allocations in Colorado and the West. It is found that while limited amounts of land and water are expected to transfer out of agriculture and into industries such as golf over the coming decades, agricultural production will persist and evolve in the West.