16-l ‎(2)‎

• Board Meeting Date: 11/18/2007
• Description: CF Section - En-bloc Non-Reimbursable - CWCB Weather Modification Permitting Program
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

for weather stations but the addition of icing rate detectors tailor weather stations for cloud seeding.
Data from icing rate detectors can be transmitted to web based applications and/or data logged
onsite. Icing rate sensors around Colorado can also characterize the timing and duration of good
cloud seeding conditions to aide in planning. The examples of helping build local capacity, cost
sharing in programs, and modernizing operations provided from these other states best illustrate the
CWCB staff's vision to increase CWCB activities to be the most helpful at assisting local programs.
The second issue identified is discussed next.
A regulatory program with grants -The CWCB has been delegated the role of issuing and
monitoring cloud seeding permits from the DNR Executive Director's Office since 1987. The
CWCB also has a role in developing water resources. Staff believes that the CWCB can provide
grants for cloud seeding and still be effective at monitoring and curtailing operations when
conditions warrant it. New terms and conditions in cloud seeding permits issued in 2007 to
contractors for Denver Water, Colorado Springs Utilities, and Gunnison County require strict
coordination with the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC). The use of daily emails
from CAIC staff and new avalanche reporting helped update permits and will help curtail cloud
seeding during times of "high" and "extreme danger" but the concepts have always been in the
terms and conditions of cloud seeding permits in Colorado.
A new product developed by CWCB staff is to have the NRCS Snow Survey host daily mapping of
snowpack limits for the 100 SNOTEL sites in Colorado. This new product graphically illustrates
the State's snowpack suspension criteria to ensure cloud seeding contractors operate up to but
within the realm of the natural variability of the local climate. snowpack snow water equivalent
thresholds of 175% of the 30-year average early in November first tapering down to 140% on April
first are standard in all the snowpack augmentation states of Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, and
Colorado. This winter seven days a week from December 15 through April 15 snowpack thresholds
will be shown as colorized SNOTEL sites. The mapping will show SNOTEL sites as circles that
are keyed as green =cloud seed, yellow =seed with caution nearing the threshold, and red =
generators that affect this SNOTEL site are suspended until conditions ease. Mapping of snowpack
thresholds, hosted by an independent party, makes suspending operations a function of the data and
gives us updated tools to monitor and evaluate conditions on a daily basis.
In addition other criteria from other states about how to use NWS forecasts and warnings were
added to Colorado's permits this year. CWCB staff has updated environmental monitoring, permit
compliance, and activity controls for the protection of life, property and the environment during
research and operational activities as stated within Powers of the Director in the 36-20-108 (5) (c )
C.R.S.
Finally, as discussed previously North Dakota, Wyoming, and Nevada appropriate funds at the state
level and operate and self regulate programs on behalf of state and local governments. In Colorado
and in other western states operational criteria and limits on activities are set up by the State and
activities are suspended under certain conditions regardless of the funding arrangements. Similarly,
the newest cloud seeding rules and regulations that were promulgated in 2005 by the New Mexico
Interstate Stream Commission make the NMISC the regulatory entity but allow for the State to
conduct operations if needed.
Staff Request
Staff requests that the Board consider: 1) continued assistance to local water users for cloud seeding
operations through CWCB grants; 2) recent multi-state agreements to augment water resources in