Substantial progress has been made towards implementing all of the prescribed studies and satisfying the stated objectives since the Oil Shale Rehabilitation Project was actively initiated in June 1976. Concurrent with implementation, research objectives were substantively defined and supplemented without distracting or departing from the original purpose. Current studies are designed to fill voids in the present status of knowledge regarding lands disturbed by an impending oil shale industry in Colorado. The efforts of all contributing investigators have therefore been integrated and directed toward the goal of developing methodologies requisite for restoring diverse and complex ecosystems which will require only a minimal amount of maintenance or input of scarce resources. An intensive study site southeast of the Oil Shale Tract C-a has been obtained through a Cooperative Agreement with the Bureau of Land Management. Following this agreement, most subprojects were initiated at the intensive site. Additional programs will be implemented as spent shale becomes available this summer. Studies conducted principally in the laboratory and greenhouse, such as the microbiological and plant genetic studies, have achieved significant results.

From introduction: Ground water is a source of municipal, domestic, stock, and irrigation water supply for most of northeastern Larimer County, Colorado. This report presents the results of a study made to determine the quantity, availability, and quality of the ground water. This information should be useful particularly for land-use planning and the utilization and protection of the ground-water resources.