WSP13035

• File Number: 8280.10
• Description: CREST - Colorado Riever Enhancement Snowpack Test
• State: CO
• Author: Robert Broadbent, BOR Commissioner
• Title: Augmentation of the Colorado River Through Weather Modification
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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2. Confirm the increases on a quantitative basis to establish the
augmentation potential of a basinwide operational program and
its resulting benefits, and to decide on the use and distribution
of the additional water supplies.

3. Assess the potential impacts on the environment and downwind
precipitation and to develop operational procedures that minimize
risks while maximizing seeding opportunities and their water-
production.

Confidence in .our ability to attain these objectives is greatly strengthened
by recent advances in our knowledge of which clouds should and should
not be seeded and in the development of equipment and techniques for
recognizing se~ding opportunities in real-time and reacting to them in
a timely manner with more effective seeding delivery systems. New develop-
ments in high performance aircraft with sophisticated cloud physics and
air-motion measurement systems, new and better remote sensing systems, and
remote, automatic meteorological stations make certain vital physical
parameters directly observable for the first time. We no longer have to
~ rely on indirect indices of seedable conditions, an approach which has
proved to be inefficient in past experiments. Advances in onsite processing
and display of field data provide the basis for implementing rapid response,
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opportunity recognition and reaction systems and timely eval~ation of the
experimental results. In addition, it is now possible to reinforce the
statistical evaluation of the demonstration experiments by simultaneously
documenting the chain of physical events that lead to the additional
precipitation. The CREST program is based on this philosophy.

Numerous environmental studies have concluded that neither the additional
snowfall nor the seeding agent would adversely affect the ecology of
the areas as a result of short-term research or demonstration programs.
These studies also presented a preliminary survey of effects that might
occur if the technology were applied over very long periOds of time.
The Bureau has prepared an environmental assessment covering the first
phase of CREST and determined that a finding of no significant impact was
appropriate. Environmental reporting requirements will be satisfied
~ before launching the phase two demonstration experiments.

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