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<br />00073~ <br /> <br />AUGMENTING UPPER COLORADO RIVER BASIN <br />WATER SUPPLY <br />BY <br />WEA THER MODlFICA TION <br /> <br />By Patrick A. Hurley,..!:/ A. M. ASCE <br /> <br />Introduction <br /> <br />There is need for more thought and engineering study to integrate the <br /> <br />potential of weather modification with water resources management. <br /> <br />Recent advances in applicable scientific knowledge confirm the promise <br /> <br />of soon developing reliable capabilities for increasing precipitation in <br /> <br />the mountainous regions of the Western United States. Since stream- <br /> <br />flow originating from precipitation runoff at upper elevations con- <br /> <br />stitutes the main portion of usable water supplies for these regions, <br /> <br />economically significant contributions due to weather modification <br /> <br />are rapidly becoming imminent realities. <br /> <br />Of all regions in the Nation, projected water deficiencies should occur <br /> <br />first in the mountain runoff fed water basins of the Upper Missouri, <br /> <br />Upper Rio Grande and Pecos, Great Basin, Colorado, and South Pacific <br /> <br /> <br />Basins. ~/ Of these regions, concern and controversy over utilization <br /> <br />of the limited water supplies from mountains in the Upper Colorado <br /> <br />River Basin are as serious as any. <br /> <br />1/ PhYSIcal Research Scientist, Office of Atmospheric Water Resources, <br />Bureau of Reclamation, U. S. Department of the Interior, Denver, <br />Colorado. <br />2/"Report of the Select Committee on National Water Resources, II <br />Senate Report No. 29, 86th Congress, 1st Session, 1961. <br />