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<br />RECORD DF PRDCEEDING
<br />
<br />attend the meeting to bring the Directors~ and others, up to date on activities being
<br />carried on by his Office.
<br />
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<br />Mr. Douglas reported that the 87th Congress of the United States, In 1961, provided the
<br />Buz:eau of Reclamation with a modest appropriation, and issued the charg~ to conduct
<br />res~arch on increasing precipitation through cloud seeding. This action resulted in the
<br />formation of the Atmospheric Water Resources Program of Engineering Research,
<br />carried out by Universities, private Meteorological groups. and other Governmental
<br />Age"ncies. under the sponsorahip and direction of the Bureau of Reclamation. Prelimi-
<br />nary investigations indicated that while the physical mecha.nisms of precipitation form-
<br />ation were not completely understood. ample evidence was available to justify a pract-
<br />ica~ research program aimed at how to use cloud seeding in increasing inflow into
<br />reservoirs.
<br />
<br />He ~tated it is conducted with the purpose of determining the economic feasibility of
<br />increasing the water supply available to Reclamation projects by the use of Weather
<br />Modification techniques to increase the precipitation in the drainage basin from which
<br />Bureau of Reclamation reservoirs are fed. In order to thoroughly encompass these
<br />areas of Scientific knowledge. the U. S. Bureau of Reclamation is working with 16 Colleges
<br />and- Universities, 6 private firms, 2 States, and 6 Federal Agencies.
<br />
<br />Mr. Douglas advised that diverse geological locations of the areas of interest involved,
<br />have demanded a corresponding diversity of research effort, and that care has been
<br />taken to select experimental sites which provide the best opportunity for learning. Thos~
<br />locations which' offer the greatest potential have been chosen for development only after
<br />a thorough study. After a site is selected, a well thought out plan of investigation is
<br />formulated, and becomes the basis for the work. He cautioned that water, like many
<br />oth~r things, i8 required in certain amounts, and it is desirable in somewhat larger
<br />quantities, but can be diBasterous in extremely great volume. It has been estimated
<br />that one inch of additional precipitation, and the resultant runoff, in the Colorado Basin
<br />'above Glen Canyon, would produce $2.5 million in electrical power generated' by the
<br />turbins of Federal Power Plants at Flaming Gorge Canyon, Glen Canyon, Boulder Canyon,
<br />Park,:er, and Davis Dams. In addition, the same water which is subsequently used for
<br />irrigation would produce a gross crop income of over $24 million. Consideration of
<br />ind~strial or domestic use would increase the value even more.
<br />
<br />Mr. Douglas stated the Interior's responsibility for National management of our water
<br />resources extends throughout the entire hydrologic cycle. This involves a broad spectrum
<br />of scientific endeavor, and imposes the requirement upon the Department for competency
<br />in ~any areas. Coordination and integration of these skills into a program which will
<br />provide sufficient water to care for our future demands is an important part of our Natioll~
<br />at p'rogress. He then presented the U. S~ Bureau of Reclamation film "Rivers in the Skyll.
<br />
<br />DiIiector Young asked, "was the U. S. Bureau of. Reclamation responsible for the excessh!e
<br />sno~ in Flagstaff, Arizona in 1967?" Mr. Douglas responded they were not. Purvis
<br />ask~d, Ilcould the seeding in the Steamboat Springs area adversly affect snow on Monarch? II
<br />Doqglas advised there is no evidence of down wind decrease. Cloud moisture content is
<br />rep~enished very rapidiy, and they have actually found increases over larger areas.
<br />Yo~ng asked, Ifdoes air pollution affect clouds?" Douglas said heavy industrial areas
<br />hav~ a great affect on down wind clouds, and air pollution is a good source of nuclei.
<br />Dr.l Hutchinson asked, Hare you able to determine the amount of iodides as the moisture
<br />falls, and whether or not silver iodide is injurious to human beings and livestock? II
<br />Douglas advised the iodides are checked very carefully and they are not dangerous at
<br />the -level uBed in the research program. Nichols commented that the important thing in
<br />this effort is the basic research befog carried on, and that he is hopeful the results will
<br />be of great service in the years to come. Young asked, "if he was working on hail
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