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Last modified
7/28/2009 2:29:16 PM
Creation date
5/16/2007 3:02:42 PM
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Template:
Weather Modification
Title
The Feasibility of Operational Cloud Seeding in the North Platte River Basin Headwaters to Increase Mountain Snowfall
Prepared For
US Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclaimation
Prepared By
Jonnie G. Medina, Technical Service Center, Water Resources Services
Date
5/1/2000
County
Statewide
State
CO
Weather Modification - Doc Type
Scientific Study
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<br />3. PROGRAM DESIGN PHASE <br /> <br />~. <br /> <br />3.1. Background <br /> <br />Previous cloud seeding projects have provided information clearly pointing to the need for conducting a <br />design phase for a program such as proposed for the Headwaters Region. However, design studies for <br />the Headwaters Region are somewhat facilitated by the availability of results of prior studies conducted in <br />the Park Range. Cloud physics and modeling studies were conducted as part of COSE (Rauber et aI., <br />1986; Rauber and Grant, 1986; Rauber, 1987). Since the COSE studies, a high-altitude (10,520 feet) <br />laboratory known as the Storm Peak Laboratory (Borys and Wetzel, 1997), currently managed by the <br />Desert Research Institute of the University of Nevada at Reno, has been maintained for further study of <br />winter clouds and aerosols. Other Park Range data collection occurred during the mid-1960s as part of a <br />5-year program of cloud seeding investigations (Rhea et aI., 1969). Some experiments involved the <br />release of AgI and airflow tracer material to study the transport and dispersion of ground-based and <br />aircraft released cloud seeding agents. The results of studies by Rhea et al. should be used as additional <br />background information on cloud seeding in the Park Range. The previous studies will provide useful <br />information, but the proposed project is facing considerably more formidable tasks such as determining <br />the placement of more than 50 seeding devices, most likely at high elevations and in rugged terrain. <br />Placement must facilitate adequate residence time for growth of seeding created ice particles for <br />deposition in the intended target area. <br /> <br />The Grand Mesa cloud seeding studies (see appendix A, chapter 7) will also provide additional <br />background information useful to pursuing field studies in the Headwaters Region. Aircraft and surface <br />observations of seeding trials provide convincing results that cloud seeding can provide precipitation <br />increases (Super and Boe, 1988). The early 1990s seeding experiments in the Wasatch Plateau of Utah <br />(Super and Holroyd, 1994) provided additional experience in conducting cloud seeding. Aircraft and <br />surface observation were collected before, during and after seeding experiments to document <br />precipitation increases and clear evidence that clouds were seeded. <br /> <br />The design studies are needed to develop an operational seeding plan that mitigates the following existing <br />conditions in the Headwaters Region and allow for incorporation of new technologies that improve cloud <br />seeding. <br /> <br />. Terrain differs widely from study area to study area and within the Headwaters Region. Terrain <br />differences present new problems and challenges to planning and program conduct. Design studies <br />will enable determining the proper cloud treatment methods, and equipment types and numbers for <br />the terrain and weather conditions of the Headwaters Region. <br /> <br />. Cloud treatment effects must be directed at the lee side of the Park Range and Sierra Madre <br />Mountains for additional runoff into the North Platte River. Typically, targeted areas for cloud are <br />located on the windward slope. Targeting the lee slope will require study. Cloud modeling will help <br />scope this issue. <br /> <br />. Design studies will allow the testing and incorporation of new technology for the particular <br />geographic and weather circumstances of the Headwaters Region. In particular, automated seeding <br />systems must be tested in the conditions of high elevations and local cloudiness. Power is not <br />available for most likely locations, and the cost of power plants and their operation is considerable. It <br />is hoped that local solar systems and rechargeable batteries can be adequate to operate seeding and <br />telecommunications systems. Additionally, automated data collection systems are expected to be <br /> <br />8 <br />
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