(Redirected from Uinta Basin)The Uintah Basin is a geologic
structural basin in eastern
Utah, east of the
Wasatch Mountains and south of the
Uinta Mountains.
The Uintas are one of the few major mountain ranges in the United States oriented from east to west, rather than north to south. They contain the highest point in Utah,
Kings Peak, with a summit 13,528 feet above sea level.
The largest river to drain the Uintah Basin is the
Green River, a primary tributary of the
Colorado River. The confluence of the Green and Colorado rivers is located in
Canyonlands National Park.
The climate of the Uintah Basin is arid, with occasionally severe cold winter temperatures. The largest community in the Uintah Basin is
Price, one of the most important coal mining communities in Utah. According to the U.S. Census, the community's population in 2000 was 8,402. Other communities in the region include
Roosevelt,
Helper, and
Vernal. The Uintah Basin is also the location of the
Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation, home to many
Utes, the tribe from which Utah's state name was derived. Local attractions include
Dinosaur National Monument and
Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area. The local economy, once based on agriculture and mining, has diversified, and tourism is now a major industry as well. In addition,
Utah State University operates extension campuses at Vernal, Roosevelt, and Price, expanding educational opportunities in a previously underserved region of Utah.
External links
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Utah -- Place. Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2000. U.S. Census Bureau
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Utah History to Go
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''The Uintah Basin Standard''
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Utah State University, Uintah Basin Campus