Laserfiche WebLink
<br />i~ <br /> <br />I <br /> <br /> <br />L"" <br />" <br /> <br /> <br />Ii <br /> <br />, - <br /> <br />---f--- . <br /> <br />'. <br /> <br />increases in suspended maller accompanying WOSA are not likely to OCCUI. <br />Evm though mortaJitic~ TeSultit!gl:om these .effectS may not be spectacular. <br />long-term chang~IUtre~.Q!a_ ~itI probrililY3!ccur. ~ -- <br />~ A snowpa.sk augmentationprogra!11 would producc.5?nditions fav9,~c <br />for the buildup of extcnsiv~pQp.ulilliQn..s~tsand v~~o~~. The valley flood. <br />iog resulti,ngJrom spring runoff is expected to continue into the summer be~ <br />cause of waterrelcas.e from the augmentedsnowpack. Such conditions may <br />increase the potential for development of epidemics. <br />The. SOUrces or many environmental problems in the Lower Basin arc <br />conditions or materials originaring in the Uppe.r Basin. An increase in available <br />water in both the Upper and Lower Basin would be used in part for irrigation. <br />Irrigation return waler carries salts, nutrients, silt, and sometimes pestiCides. <br />An increase in the..<;c materials above tl1e existing level may create adverse en- <br />Vil.O(mH~ntal'conditioris in areas .of the Lower: Basin. <br />The available knowledge concerning environmental requirement" cjf bio- <br />lugical communities cannot be used 10 predict with any precision the ecological <br />effects of a WOSA program. Therefore. an envlHinmentally responsible WOSA <br />program must be accompanied by a comprehensive environmental monitoring <br />pr9~m that can provide cady warning of detrimental environmental effect... <br />The monitorin,g pro!!ram should be designed around and c()ntril;lUte to an <br />unperstanding or the relationships between environmental effects ~md their <br />~e.<;. <br /> <br />4. Ecollomiclmpacts <br /> <br />Two categories of c'conOJ\lic effects of WOSA are determined: (I) d- <br />fects on the cloud seeding target areas and those downwind areas. that might <br />inadvertently be subjected to additional precipitation and (2) possible uses of <br />the augmented water supply. whether in the upper or lower basins, or outside <br />the. Colorado Ri:\'er Basin. <br /> <br />8. Economic 1 mpacls in Target Areas <br /> <br />The~n()wn i,(ft-rt" on the targ'-'l ar"us 3r~. a1mQEt 1lnifo{"mly adver~, <br />with the exception of the possible advantages that extra snowfall.particularty <br />at the beginning of the season, might bring to operators of ski resom; and their <br />patrons, Although. the imp~ct on the 4~and &cazihg indu.'l.try appears to ~ <br />l~~~ible, incrc~cd cost.. of rn:initig operations aud tinlbcr cultingJand pos- <br />s.ible s.uspensionof activities); interfcrcnn'. ~vifh rofltl rail :lncl :1ir tr\ill~; <br />and shor!Wn~ of the tourist season would all have Teperc.ussions of au un- <br />favorable sort on the economics of a number of small towns, p~riicularly .in <br />Western Colorado. <br />Measurement of the extent of these: effects. is notpossiblc on the basis of <br />published infonnution.. partly because of the small size of the .local government <br />units concerned and partly because of the nOlldisclosure rule that protects <br />individual businesses. Extensive field work would be ncccssarybefore the cx- <br /> <br />xv <br /> <br />r;--~i ''> J. <br />./, ~.:t;,~ <br />.. . <br /> <br />