WMOD00312

• Project Name: Sierra Cooperative Pilot Project
• Title: Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact
• Date: 8/1/1981
• Weather Modification - Doc Type: Report

7-2090 (4-81)
Wa ter and. Power

TECHNICAL REPORT STANDARD TITLE PAGE
2. GOVERNMENT ACC!$.SSION NO. . 3, RECIPIENT'S CATALOG NO.

II. REPORT NO.

4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE
Sierra Cooperative Pilot
Environmental Assessment
Significant Impact

5. REPORT DATE
August 1981

Proj ec t
and Finding of No

6. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION CODE

7. AUTHORISI

8 PERFORMING ORGANIZATION
REPORT NO.

Edward R. Harris

9 PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS
Bureau of Reclamation
Engineering and Research Center
Denver Federal Center
Denver, Colorado 80225

fO WORK UNIT NO.

11 CONTRACT OR GRANT NO,

13. TYPE OF REPORT AND PERIOD
COVERED

12 SPONSORING AGENCY NAME' AND ADDRESS

Final

L' ." .__ _,.=,~,___

liS SUPPL_EMENTARY NOTES

~" ^,,,"M'- The Sierra Coopera t ive Pil at Proj ec t Env i ronmenta 1 As ses sment

examines a research program designed to seed, on a randomized basis, some
of the cloud types which occur within winter storms in the Si.erra Nevada of
California and Nevada. The increase in annual precipitation expected from
seeding all eligible storms during an average or less-than-average year
sould be 10 to 15 percent. The annual precipitation increase expected from
randomized seeding of selected cloud types would be 5 to 7.5 oercent. The
report analyzes the potential effect of these increases upon weather ele-
Iments, hydrologic and physioqraphic phenomena, plant and animal communities,
the human environment, and land and water resource use in the project area.
Also discussed are the possible impacts of the seeding aaents, dry ice and
silver iodide. The report concludes that the research prooram will not
result in si~nificant or adverse effects upon the environment. The proj
ect1s public involvement and coordination process is explained.

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14. SPO~,SOR"JG AGENCY CODE

I The project Finding of No Significant Impact states that on the basis of
the project Environmental Assessment, it is determined that no further
action is necessary to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act
1969 (Public Law 91-190).

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17. KEY WORDS AND DOetJME.NT ANAl.YSIS
o. OE.SCR/PTORS--/ *environmental effects/ *weather modification/ meteorology/
environmental evaluation/ *cloud seeding/ environmental hydrology/ climate/
vegetation effects/ biological effects/ snowpacks/ snowmelt/ avalanches/
suspension criteria/ seeding agents/ erosion/ water quality/ air quality/
fish and wildlife impacts/ public opinion

b IOE"JTlFIERS--/ Sierra Cooperative Pilot Project (SCPP)/ Project Skywater/
Sierra Nevada/ American River Basin/ Tahoe-Truckee River Basin
( (USATIF,rlc:'C;rour 04 B (~!WRR 0402 .SR/M 55e
'8. DISTRI8U-'-ION S" ATEME'JT ~.O OF PAGES

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