WSP10572 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

r, ' , 'J ')'1 Ij u tJ"" O. . . Full-scale cloud seeding operations in the prime target areas are estimated to cost $2,650,000 annually, This estimate includes amortizal1on of the capital cost of the hardware and the operation, maintenance, and replacement costs, as we]] as a continuing analysis of results and any effects on ecological regimes, Based on these estimates the unit cost of producing 1,900.000 acre-feet of new water by cloud seeding would be $1. 50 per acre-foot. The regional research and development effort for the Upper Basin will be our first such undertaking in weather modification, The knowledge gained here will be beneficial for similar projects elsewhere. Assuming that the predicted yield is realized, a major question would undoubtedly arise, That is would the additional water developed by cloud seeding be considered augmentation water in fulfillment of the Mexican Treaty obligation or would it be claimed by the Upper Basin in fulfillment of its 7,5 million acre-feet allotted by the Colorado River Compact but unavailable to the Upper Basin by reason of the Upper Basin's obligation to not deplete the runoff at Lee Ferry below 75,000,000 acre-feet each consecutive ten year period? Potential Surface Water Imports from California -- Two potentials exist for augmenting the Colorado River by importing surplus surface water from California streams, First, in average and above average years the Central Valley produces a great deal of water that is surplus to its needs, By diverting this excess water to off-channel hold over storage reservoirs and pumping it into the Colorado River basin it could be used for augmentation, This potential has not been studied but it is expected that costs would be high, The second potential would entail controlling surplus runoff of North Coast streams for transbasin diversion to the Colorado, Limited study has been made of this potential which indicates that its costs also would be high, and further, that California eventually will need this water for its internal use, Further consideration will be given to both of these potentials, Water Salvage Measures -- Much has already been accomplished to salvage water and prevent waste through channelization, canal lining, water shed treatment, construction of Senator Wash regulating reservoir, and other means, Additional salvage and waste prevention can be attained through eradication and control of phreatophytes, ground-water recovery, municipal waste water capture and treatment, evaporation suppression, further water shed treatment, further canal lining, and other means, Water made available through salvage measures is usually relatively inexpensive, Although water salvage is not the complete answer to augmentation, it should and will be thoroughly considered to determine the extent to which it can contribute to the total water needs, - 7 -