Stop 8 - Northern Front Range

Stop 8 - On the Road - Northern Front Range Urban Growth

As urban areas expand, they inevitably encroach upon land used to grow crops and graze livestock or from which resources such as water, energy, or aggregate materials are being removed. Balancing such varied demands on the land is a major challenge faced by today's urban planners.

Late 1930s urban development shown in red

Mid- to late 1950s urban development shown in red

Figure 1. Northern Front Range
urban development - late 1930s

Figure 2. Northern Front Range
urban development - late 1950s

Late 1970s urban development shown in red

Late 1990s urban development shown in red

Figure 3. Northern Front Range
urban development - late 1970s

Figure 4. Northern Front Range
urban development - late 1990s

USGS researchers use imagery and computer technology to map and model development in urban areas across the Nation. This series of images reveals patterns of urban development (red) in the Front Range Infrastructure Resources project area. Note the lakes (blue) in each map. A large majority were once gravel quarries.

U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://rockyweb.cr.usgs.gov/frontrange/virtour/urbangro.htm
Contact: Carol Mladinich mailto:csmladinich@usgs.gov
Updated: 05/16/2001