Laserfiche WebLink
<br />groups, and state and Federal agencies. Citizen groups including <br />water users and resource managers have expressed their concerns <br />about future shortages and have advocated augmentation efforts in <br />the Basin. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />A recent coordination activity was a public meeting held in Durango, <br />Colorado, August 30, 1979, by the Colorado Department of Natural <br />Resources. As the state agency responsible for regulation of <br />weather modification, the Department wished to obtain initial <br />public response to a proposal for a possible cloud seeding project <br />in western Colorado. The meeting followed distribution of the <br />May 1979 "Conceptual Plan to Develop Water Augmentation By <br />Weather Modification in The Colorado River" by the Office of <br />Atmospheric Resources Management. Participants responded with <br />general support for research activities, and pointed out that many <br />local groups in Colorado now sponsor operational cloud seeding <br />programs to increase winter precipitation. Some participants were <br />concerned about possible extended area effects, above-normal snow <br />increases, possible disbenefits including impacts on wildlife and <br />livestock, and methods of compensation for danages. The Project <br />Skywater Office recognizes the legitimacy of these questions and <br />will seek answers to these matters as the program advances. <br /> <br />3. Dr. Bernard A. Silverman described the scientific basis for <br />continued precipitation management activity in the Colorado River <br />Basin. Many prior studies in Colorado, Utah, California, and <br />Washington have contributed to the current knowledge of cloud <br />seeding capability in mountainous areas. The Weather Modification <br />Advisory Board Report to the Secretary of Commerce strongly <br />advocated winter orographic seeding as the most advanced, <br />significant cloud seeding method to increase water supplies. A <br />series of meetings have been held to further clarify the scientific <br />basis, the risk of possible negative effect, important program <br />elements requiring clarification, and timetables. <br /> <br />Scientists have identified a requirement for an intensive period <br />of physical studies, followed by a preoperational period. To <br />accelerate the timetable for learning, several studies will be <br />undertaken in parallel. It is a matter of trading time for <br />dollars. New, more sophisticated equipment is available to <br />measure and evaluate cloud systems and the chain of physical <br />events occurring in winter storms. The objectives of the pre- <br />operational activity will be to determine how the operational <br />program should be conducted. Transferability of the technology <br />to other areas will also be studied to optimize its use and <br />benefits. <br />