Laserfiche WebLink
<br />.1 <br /> <br />8.. SUMMARY <br /> <br />A proposed plan is given for the conduct of operational cloud seeding on winter clouds in the headwaters <br />of the North Platte River. The purpose ofthe seeding is to provide additional snowpack at high <br />elevations of the barriers that feed the North Platte River. When properly conducted, cloud seeding <br />offers technology that can now provide a logistically feasible and cost-effective option to enhance fresh <br />water resources in some mountain watershl:::ds of the West. The American Meteorological Society and <br />the World Meteorological Organization state that statistical analyses of some cloud seeding programs <br />have suggested mountain snowfall increases of 10 to 15 percent per winter. Reclamation cloud seeding <br />studies in the 1980-90s have contributed physical measurements and analyses that documented cloud and <br />pn:cipitation positive responses to cloud sel~ding. <br /> <br />It is recommended that the proposed program consists of a cloud seeding design phase of 3 years and 10 <br />years of operational seeding. Previous cloud seeding studies indicate that each area presents site specific <br />problems that must be addressed before operational seeding can be successful. The design phase is <br />recommended to develop seeding approaches that are proper for the Headwaters Region, and develop and <br />test automated seeding equipment and comjputer software. The design phase will also enable dealing with <br />environmental compliance and obtaining necessary permits. No cloud seeding will be allowed until <br />compliance is achieved. <br /> <br />Estimates of additional water were made from a sample network of 55 seeding devices that would cover <br />an approximate 28 percent of high-elevation contributing area to the North Platte River watershed. <br />Applying a 11.25 percent increase to average winter precipitation yielded an additional 59,727 acre-feet <br />of water. Seeding in a dry year could possibly produce an additional 29,863 acre-feet, and 89,590 acre- <br />feet in a wet year. With a seeded areal coverage of 40 percent, the increases grow to the respective <br />85,326,42,663, and 127,989 acre-feet of water. Using a water value of$30 per acre-feet, the benefit/cost <br />ratio is 2.18 for a normal year for an areal coverage of 40 percent (likely achievable). The estimated 10- <br />year cost of operations is $11,715,638, so that for 55 cloud treatment devices for example, the average <br />annual cost of operations per seeding device is $21,30 I. The cost of conducting the design phase effort, <br />including environmental compliance, but short of equipment costs, is $1,498,040 for the three years. <br />Equipment costs are estimated at $1,801,480. . <br /> <br />With recent gains in knowledge, in part because of Reclamation support, it is believed that cloud seeding <br />has reached the point that a well designed and managed program can produce cost effective water <br />resources benefits. The additional water can help satisfy increasing demands of western watersheds. <br />Properly conducted cloud seeding can improve water quality and domestic, and recreation uses. <br /> <br />36 <br />