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e e 3. Six-year Program The 2-year initial phase of this option would immediately apply existing knowledge to design a 4-year dual subbasin demonstration phase. In order to reduce the uncertainty about the frequency of seeding oppor- tunity, storm variability, and seeding mode operations throughout the Basin, two subbasins would be instrumented simultaneously. Basin-wide climatological studies to determine storm types and seeding opportun- ities would be initiated during the initial phase and continued through- out the second phase. The 4-year second phase would include a randomized seeding program in two subbasins to evaluate and quantify water supply increases and extrapolate this information to the entire Basin. Concurrent studies to improve project instrumentation, seeding modes and agents, would be conducted in preparation for Basin-wide operations. Data required to implement transfer of the technology to the other subbasins of the Colorado River would be collected. The advantages of this option are that it calls for the earliest initiation of Basin-wide operations, it anticipates increased water supply in two subbasins within 2 years, and it has the lowest total cost of all the options. The disadvantages are that the scientific and social acceptability of the results of the 6-year effort probably will not be at a high enough level of confidence for those concerned with issues of extra-area effects, water rights, and social and environmntal effects to initiate a Basin-wide program. ~ith only 2 years to prepare for 'the demonstration phase, there is no opportunity to improve on existing technology. Also, it may not be possible to complete the needed environmental studies and impact statement in 2 years. This option has the highest average annual costs. C. Programmatic Alternatives The Project Skywater Programmatic Final Environmental Statement [2J was filed with the Council on Environmental Quality, October 25, 1977. The State- ment was distributed to State clearinghouses; Federal, State, and local agencies; universities and colleges; special interest organizations; and the general public in the Colorado River Basin. Chapter 8 of the Statement, "Alternatives to the Proposed Action," is incorporated by reference as part of this environmental assessment. The eight programmatic alternatives discussed in the FES in addition to precipitation management are: - the null or no action alternative - accommodating to projected water shortages - expanded conventional water resoures engineering - geothermal waters - saline waters - interbasin or intrabasin water transfers - water reclaimed through conservation - alternative technologies applicable to the atmospheric water resource 5