BOARD00073 ‎(2)‎

• Board Meeting Date: 11/13/2006
• Description: CF Section - En-Bloc Non-Reimbursable Investments Recommendations - Flood Section - CWCB - Weather Modification Permitting Program
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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STATE OF COLORADO

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Colorado Water Conservation Board

Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman Sneet, Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
FAX: (303) 86~74
www.cwcb.state.co.us

MEMORANDUM

Bill Owens
Governor

TO:
FROM:

Colorado Water Conservation Board - Finance Committee
Joe Busto, Flood Protection Section
Tom Browning, Chief - Flood Protection Section
October 30, 2006
Agenda Item 11k (En-bloc non-reimbursable investments)
CWCR Weather Modification Permitting Program
November 13-15, 2006 CWCR Meeting

Russell Walcher
Executive Director

DATE:
RE:

Rod Kuharich
CWCB Director

Dan McAuliffe
Deputy Director

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Introduction
Through CWCB non-reimbursable investments cloud seeding grants are available for weather
modification operations in Colorado. The CWCB has made available $20,000 in 2004-05, $60,000 in
2005-06, and $75,000 in 2006-07 for cloud seeding cost share grants to water users. This funding
assists water conservancy districts, water conservation districts, and other water users with cloud
seeding programs that have a goal of increasing mountain snowpack and water yield. State funding
every year encourages cloud seeding program longevity and water user participation. Staff looked at
the last ten years funding for cloud seeding and the approximate cumulative totals were: $2.9M local
interest funding, $155K through the CWCB, and $232K from out of state funding (New Mexico 03' &
04', Lower Basin States '06). Last year, the total amount of money spent on weather modification
operations within state was $553K (winter 05-06). The local interests spent $448K on cloud seeding
programs; the Lower Basin States provided $45K and the CWCB provided $60K.

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Discussion
Collaborative cloud seeding has been one of the highlights ofthe Colorado River 7 Basin States
Negotiations. The principals in these negotiations have approved $130,000 for grants to Colorado
cloud seeding programs for the winter 2006-07 (San Juan Mountains, Colorado Springs Utilities,
Denver Water, Grand Mesa). Other funding was given to Utah for expansion of operations and a small
amount went to Wyoming to assist with meteorological measurements for their research effort. The
concept of a 5-year plan has been approved and an "Ad-Hoc Weather Modification Committee" has
been developed that is a subset of the Colorado River 7 Basin States (Ted Kowalski and Joe Busto are
on the Ad-Hoc Committee). The Committee will be putting together a list of priorities, areas for
expansion of existing target areas, new target areas, and opportunities for applied research and
evaluations for consideration by May 2007. CWCB funding can match and offset Lower Basin States
funding in the Colorado River Basin and/or be used for weather modification operations in other basins
within Colorado. We are requesting that the 2007 Construction fund bill include a provision to increase
from $75,000 to $150,000, the amount of funds available for the CWCB Weather Modification
Permitting Program.

Current cloud seeding programs eligible for CWCB non-reimbursable investments are: The San Juan
Mountains Program (Southwestern WCD & others), Upper San Miguel Basin Program (Southwestern
WCD & others), Gunnison Watershed Program (Gunnison County & others), Central Colorado Rockies
(Denver Water), Central Rockies (Colorado Springs Utilities), and the Grand Mesa Program (Water

Flood Protection. Water Supply Planning and Finance. Stream and Lake Protection
Water Supply Protection. Conservation and Drought Planning