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<br />M8-230 (8-70)
<br />Bureau of Reclamation
<br />
<br />
<br />1. REPORT NO.
<br />
<br />4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE
<br />THE MEDICINE BOW ECOLOGY PROJECT: The
<br />potential sensitivity of various ecosystem
<br />components to winter precipitation manage-
<br />ment in the Medicine Bow Mountains, Wyoming
<br />7. AUTHOR(S)
<br />
<br />S. REPORT DATE
<br />
<br />
<br />8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION
<br />REPORT NO.
<br />
<br />Knight, D. H., et al.
<br />
<br />9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS
<br />
<br />10. WORK UNIT NO.
<br />
<br />The University of Wyoming
<br />Laramie, Wyoming
<br />
<br />11. CONTRACT OR GRANT NO.
<br />14-06-0-7198
<br />
<br />12., SPONSORING AGENCY NAME AND ADDRESS
<br />Department of the Interior
<br />Bureau of Reclamation
<br />Engineering and Research Center
<br />Denver, Colorado 80225
<br />
<br />13. TYPE OF REPORT AND PERIOD
<br />COVERED
<br />
<br />14. SPONSORING AGENCY CODE
<br />
<br />15. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES
<br />
<br />16. ABSTRACT
<br />In addition to baseline data, the Report includes 1) the results of
<br />studies on the impact of snow on herbaceous and shrubby vegetation,
<br />elk, deer, trout, lake phytoplankton, and litter decomposition; and
<br />2) the movement of Ag in an alpine ecosystem, the natural concentration
<br />of Ag at 20 locations in the Mountains, and the toxicity of Ag to
<br />tufted hairgrass, lodgepole pine seedlings, and rainbow trout. Ecologi-
<br />cal changes resulting from cloud seeding probably will be very slow,
<br />assuming that annual snowfall will be increased by only about 15 percent
<br />and only above about 2700 m elevation, and that snow cover duration will
<br />be prolonged by only a few days, if at all. The general discussion
<br />emphasizes the need for accurate information on the amount, distribution,
<br />and duration of the additional snow produced by cloud seeding in order
<br />to accurately evaluate impact; the fact that cloud seeding will be
<br />but one of several human influences on the ecosystems; and that there
<br />is the potential for indirect, undesirable impacts on areas downstream
<br />from where the seeding occurs. Six recommendations are listed that
<br />seem desirable from an ecological perspective, and information gaps
<br />are identified.
<br />
<br />17. KEY WORDS AND DOCUM!NT ANALYSIS
<br />a. DESCR IPTORS-- ..,,'c;""',
<br />~.. .
<br />{'"cloud seed'ing, ecology, ecosystems, Wyoming, weather
<br />modification, forests, hydrographs, silver iodide,
<br />snowmelt, snow management, toxicity, deer, elk, fish,
<br />aquatic animals, aquatic algae, trout, vegetation.
<br />
<br />PIKES SUBJ EO TO
<br />
<br />b. IDENT/FIER5--
<br />
<br />c. COSATI Field/Group
<br />
<br />18. DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT
<br />Available from the Notional Technical Information Service. Operations
<br />Division. Springfield. Virginia 22151.
<br />
<br />
<br />19, SECURITY C LASS I.
<br />ITHIS REPORT)
<br />UNCLASSIFIED
<br />20. SECURITY CLASS
<br />(THIS PAGE)
<br />UNCLASSIFIED
<br />
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