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<br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I. <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br /> <br />February 11,2008 <br /> <br />Representative Mark Udall <br />Washington D.C. Office <br />100 Cannon House <br />Office Building <br />Washington, D.C. 20515 <br /> <br />Dear Representative Mark Udall: <br /> <br />As a water provider, and as an active participant in weather modification programs for <br />several years, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your sponsorship ofH.R. <br />3445 the 'Weather Mitigation Research and Technology Transfer Authorization Act of2007'. I <br />would also like to bring to your attention recent activities in the field of weather modification <br />operations in Colorado and respectfully request that you work diligently with other members to <br />pass H.R. 3445 out of the House Science Committee. Colorado Springs Utilities, like many <br />water providers, has a great interest in furthering research in a broad, integrated manner that can <br />be used directly to provide water supply and other benefits. <br /> <br />Colorado Springs Utilities currently invests in weather modification operations and has <br />seen results that have help lessen the severity of recent droughts. Since Colorado Springs <br />Utilities began its cloud seeding program in 2002, there has been an estimated increase in yield <br />anywhere from three to eleven percent. Our cloud seeding program also provides additional <br />benefits by enhancing stream flows and reservoir levels, which in turn support environmental <br />and recreational values in Colorado. The table below is our estimation of benefits from our <br />cloud seeding program in the Upper Arkansas River Basin as well as in the respective <br />headwaters of the Roaring Fork River near Aspen, Colorado, the Eagle River near Vail, <br />Colorado, and the Blue River near Breckenridge, Colorado. <br /> <br />Year Estimateel % YielellDcrease Cost $/ AF <br /> Increase In Yielel <br />2002 - 03 7,300 11% $ 80,000 $11 <br />2003 - 04 2,900 6% $ 70,000 $24 <br />2004 - 05 2,000 4% $ 80,000 $40 <br />2005 - 06 2,000 3% $ 79,000 $40 <br />2006 - 07 3,200 6% $ 115,300 $36 <br /> <br />Weather modification operations and regulation currently reside within state and local <br />governments and it is our belief that the federal role should be that of assistance with applied <br />research and practical technology transfer programs. The recent USBR Weather Damage <br /> <br />121 South Tejon Street, Third Floor <br />P.O. Box 1103. MaH Code 930 <br />Colorado Springs, CO 80947-0930 <br /> <br />Phone 719-668-8674 <br />Fax 719-668.8735 <br />http://www.csu.org <br />