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ARCHIE M. KAHAN In addition to the topics discussed above in some detail, there has been pro&ress in other areas such as cloud seeding generator development, instrumentation systems for acquirmg and processing meteorologicaldata in real-time and in increased understanding of the precipitation processes. Time limitations preclude giving detailed recognition to all tl].e recent progress. Suffice it to say that this in- creased understanding has brought incveased appreciation of the complexity of precipitation manage- ment and of the need for carefully designed seeding prof/;rams if the results are to be the ones desired. To insure that the best knowledge available is ;applied to the decisions being made, we have held a series of working conferences which we call the Skywater Conferences. These bring together our contractors and other invited experts in the field to focus on some major facet of our total problem. The four conterences held to date have been concerned with: (1) The chemistry and physics of cloud nucliation, (2) the design and evaluation of weather m'odification experiments, (3) the production of and delivery of seeding materials, and (4) the optimization of operational weather modification, Each conference has in effect asked the questions: "What is known about the subject at hand?" "What do we need to know that we don't know?" "What is the best attack on the problem?" Proceedings of the conferences have been published and are being circulated. We have been gratified by their reception as a contribution to progress in the field. IV. WHAT IS PLANNED FOR THE FUTURE In 1966 we issued a report entitled "Plan to Develop Technology for Increasing Water Yield from Atmospheric Sources". This plan provided for the development of a region-by-region capability for enhancement of the nation's water resources by increasing or redistributing precipitation, An or- derly progression from experimental projects to pilot projects was proposed as the means of achieving an operational capability. Although the funding made available to us has not reached the level contem- plated in the plan, we, have been attempting to go forward as best we can. Recent legislation has put added emphasis on our progress. The Colorado River Basin Project Act (called the Central Arizona Project Bill) directs the Sec- retary of the Interior to conduct a "full and complete reconnaissance" to develop a "general plan to meet future water needs of the Western United States" (west of the Continental Divide), Important to this plan is means of augmenting the Colorado River by 2V, million acre-feet. A final report is due in 1977 with progress reports every 2 years beginning in, 1971. No importation can be considered in these reports until after 1978. The Statement of the Hous~ specifies that "all possible sources of water must be considered, including water conservation and salvage, weather modification, desalination, and im- portation from areas of surplus. The first evaluatior\s of the pilot project are planned to be included m the 1973 progress report, giving 4 additional year~ to integrate weather modification into the water planning for the Colorado River Basin and to confirm application in other parts of the Western States. At the Skywater IV Conference, "Optimiz~tion of Operational Weather Modification", held May 21-22, 1968, it was the general consensus of those attending that present knowledge was sufficient for a large-scale feasjbility test or pilot project in the;Upper Colorado River Basin to augment snowfall, We have contracted with Colorado State University, for the design and planning of a Colorado River Pilot Project. The pilot project will be operationally oriented, With a yearly randomization between the two project areas, all storms favorable for seeding will be seeded for maximum precipitation increase and unfavorable storms will not be seeded, Seeding criteria will essentially be those found at Climax to be favorable for increasing precipitation. Main favorable criterion is a 500-mb temperature, consjdered to be generally representative of winter cloud top temperatures, of -13u C to -230 C with -160 C to -200 C the highly favorable range. Winds at 500 mb should exceed 10 mps for favorable' seeding with most productive speeds at 22 mps to 28 mps and should be blowing more perpendicular against the orogra- phic barrier. The two project areas are 140 miles apart, separated by the central Colorado mountain as if where Climas is located. The northern project area;is approximately 1,000 square miles and the south- ern area is about 3,000 square miles, The two areas are quite similar, yet together are representative ~ . -36-