WMOD00268

• Applicant: CWCB
• Sponsor Name: USBR
• Project Name: Final Report Weather Damage Mitigation Program
• Title: Numerical Simulations of Snowpack Augmentation for Drought Mitigation Studies in the Colorado Rocky Mountains
• Prepared For: USBR - WDMP
• Prepared By: Curt Hartzell, Dr. William Cotton, Joe Busto
• Date: 9/1/2005
• State: CO
• Weather Modification - Doc Type: Scientific Study

xiv

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

means of developing water resources to meet current and future needs.
Everything is connected and development and population growth will change the
face of the landscape in Colorado. Additional information on the SWSI is on the
CWCB's Web site http://cwcb.state.co.us/SWSI/TableofContents.htm.

In conclusion it is fair to say tlilat everything is connected, water is life, and
much of it originates form our mountainous areas interaction with our storm
systems and snowfields. Colorado's economy is heavily based on recreation and
agriculture, both heavily reliant on good water years. The Rocky Mountain News
has recently embarked on a four-part news story that is based solely on the
research in the "Rocky Mountain/Great Basin Regional Climate Change
Assessment" conducted by 125 researchers that involved climate modeling and
the effects of global warming. Based on interpretation of the study it paints a
gloomy future for Colorado's $2 billion ski industry and rafting industry. Colorado
skiing could be affected by warmer conditions, shorter seasons, making it difficult
on low elevation ski areas and this might lead to a heavy reliance on the water
used for artificial snowmaking. We ski on our water, then we raft on our water,
then it fills our streams and reservoirs. Once used this water returns to rivers
and streams to meet needs in other states. Investing in the understanding,
development, and augmentation of snowfields through weather modification in a
headwaters state like Colorado will be imperative to surviving in the arid western
United States.

The Colorado WDMP "Numerical Simulations of Snowpack Augmentation
for Drought Mitigation Studies in the Colorado Rocky Mountain" project
conducted and collaborated on by Reclamation, Denver Water, CWCB, and CSU
is the type of applied research project needed to work toward developing the
efficacy and understanding of weather modification operations. Weather
modification research that is piggy-backed onto existing operations provides the
best means to advance weather modification operations. Wintertime operational
weather modification projects should be designed for refinement and
development with the goal of maximizing Colorado's water resources to meet
current and future needs.