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<br />000216
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<br />ClotUJ SeeJing
<br />ProgramJ ExpanJ
<br />
<br />The guru of weather modification in Colorado, Larry Hjermstad
<br />of Western Weather Consultants, is convinced that cloud seeding
<br />works. He has 30 plus years of gathering and analyzing data as
<br />well as studying the science of clouds around the West to back
<br />up his claims. Others must believe there's a benefit too because
<br />cloud seeding in Southwest Colorado has expanded in area and
<br />duration. In addition, New Mexico has started footing the bill
<br />for an extra two months of seeding from the La Plata drainage
<br />over to .the. Anim~s drainage. For portions of the last 28 years,
<br />water dIstrIcts, ski areas, and other private ventures in the region
<br />have funded seeding from November through January for the
<br />area from Durango west to Dolores and up to Telluride. This
<br />year that program has been extended through March for the
<br />San Juan Ba~in ~ound Durango and Pagosa Springs. "I have
<br />been able to IdentIfY through the data that there is from 8 to 30
<br />percent more water in the snow from seeding certain types of
<br />weather systems," says Hjermstad.
<br />
<br />Clouds covering the upper two thirds of a mountain that have
<br />higher than average water content and temperatures from 10 to
<br />20 degrees below freezing react best to the up-drafts of wind
<br />~arryir:g sil~er ~odi~e into t~em by generators on the ground.
<br />The SlIver IOdIde rIdes theatr currents up the mountain much
<br />like smoke from a fire," says Hjermstad. At the right temperature
<br />and moisture level, the silver iodide crystals formed at the
<br />generator ~d car~ied by the air c~rrents to the lower cloud region
<br />attract mOIsture lIke the naturallCe crystals in the top region of
<br />~ost ~1()'.1.ds. In the ~ugmented snowfall, it is normally
<br />uilposslble to detect the dIfference between the natural and semi-
<br />natural snowflakes created by the silver iodide crystal.
<br />
<br />Other water experts in the area seem to have a skeptical respect
<br />for cloud seeding. Steve Harris, Harris Water Engineering says
<br />"It works but I feel there are too many variables to dete;min~
<br />the exact quantity." Sn::ve Arveschoug, General Manager of the
<br />Dolores Water Conservancy District, says his board looks at
<br />cloud seeding as an inexpensive insurance policy. "Even if we
<br />only get 1,000 to 5,000 acre feet, that's water we did not have
<br />ar:d it's much cheaper than building more storage," Arveschoug
<br />saId. The Dolores Water District has invested $8,000 to $10,000
<br />annually for the last few years in cloud seeding. The Vail ski
<br />area has been working with Hjermstad on cloud seeding
<br />programs for the past 28 years.
<br />
<br />Hjermstad indicated that the first three months of this winter
<br />were quite similar to the first three months of last winter. The
<br />western San Juans had nearly an identical amount of
<br />precipitation in the high country as last year. In the eastern San
<br />Juans, where new programs are operating this year, a definite
<br />inc~ease in precipitation is observed this season. February is
<br />typICally a dry month in the region. "This February may be
<br />one of the wetter Februarys on record and has provided several
<br />good seeding opportunities. The precipitation and snowpack
<br />in the high country has increased by 10 percent to reach nearly
<br />76 to 80 percent of normal," he concludes.
<br />
<br />It looks like cloud seeding will continue in the southwest.
<br />As Steve Harris says, "We really cannot afford not to do it. it's
<br />cheap water." . '
<br />
<br />~
<br />
<br />Cbanging of tbe GuarJ at
<br />DoloreJ Water
<br />COnJervancy DiJtrict
<br />
<br />Steve Arveschoug arrived in Cortez last August to relieve John
<br />Porter of his duties at the Dolores Water Conservancy District.
<br />Porter made the decision to retire last summer. He is still around
<br />helping as needed, but Arveschoug jokes, "We must ween
<br />ourselves from dependency on John and learn things for
<br />oursel~es." Cortez is a long way from his birthplace of Maui,
<br />HawatI. Yet, Arveschou~ seems comfortable in the new job and
<br />fe~ls strongly. that there IS a good core group of people involved
<br />WIth the project and that his primary job is to "fine tune the
<br />District, keep everyone informed, and help the operation be
<br />more .efficient." Top on his .list of priorities is "spending time
<br />learnmg about and knowmg our full service irrigators."
<br />
<br />Taking the reins at Dolores has been a real transition for Steve
<br />who previously ran the Southeastern Colorado Water
<br />Conservancy District from Pueblo. In some ways Dolores is a
<br />much smaller show: two rural counties versus nine diverse ones,
<br />seven member board versus fifteen. Yet, Dolores, being a newer
<br />water project, is more advanced in terms of water conservation
<br />and management.
<br />
<br />In regards to the many needs for water and the sacrifices made
<br />in 2002, Steve says two things: "First, you must do a reality
<br />check and see that everybody suffers equitably from the farmers
<br />to the fishery in a year like last, and second, you just can't make
<br />the water appear." The Dolores Project, unlike most, makes a
<br />large commitment to the downstream fishery, over 30,000 acre
<br />feet annually. This amount is not enough in some minds. But,
<br />An:es.choug says, "We have a responsibility to all our users; you
<br />can t Just take away from one or the other arbitrarily."
<br />
<br />Before Arveschoug's first year is complete, he may be faced with
<br />~other yea~ of drough~ and the difficult decisions that go along
<br />WIth managmg a very lImited water supply. As of early March,
<br />things were looking up with snowpack in the Dolores River
<br />Watershed around 76 percent of average. McPhee's carryover
<br />water is only 7,000 acre feet as compared to last years 54,000
<br />plus acre-feet.
<br />
<br />3
<br />
<br />Contact the Dolores Water Conservancy District at
<br />970-565-7562 or learn more at www.doloreswater.com.~
<br />
<br />FeJeral ReJerve Water -
<br />RigbtJ UpJate
<br />
<br />The Technical Committee for the negotiations between the
<br />US Fores~ Service and state/local interests regarding the San
<br />Juan NatIOnal Forest Federal Reserved Water Rights claims
<br />may have come to a critical point in this on-going process.
<br />
<br />In mid-January, the US Forest Service proposed criteria for a
<br />resolution of base flows which raised concerns by the state
<br />an~ local represent~ti".es. ~l parties are currently reevaluating
<br />thelt goals and objectIves m an attempt to resolve the issues.
<br />The next meeting is scheduled for early April. See the next
<br />Water Letter for those developments. J:...
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