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<br />~ <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />III. Augmentation Options <br />A. Analysis of Options <br /> <br />Four possible measures for augmenting the Colorado River have been <br />identified: (1) importation from other river basins, (2) desalting <br />of seawater and geothermal brines, (3) vegetation management to <br />increase runoff, and (4) weather modification to increase runoff. <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />Importation of water from other river basins to the Colorado River <br />Basin is not practical for the foreseeable future because of costs, <br />energy requirements, environmental impacts, and political problems. <br />The Colorado River Basin Project Act of 1968 banned the Secretary <br />from studies of water importation into the Colorado River Basin <br />from any other river basin for a period of 10 years. That ban was <br />extended for an additional 10 years, to September 30, 1988, by Public <br />Law 95-578 and expanded to cover studies by any Federal official by <br />Public Law 96-375. <br /> <br />Investigations into the constuction of a large scale seawater <br />desalting plant have shown that high construction costs and the energy- <br />intensive nature of the desalting process make this alternative <br />infeasible. Geothermal studies undertaken by the Bureau have also <br />concluded that the use of brines for single purpose water augmentltion <br />cannot be economically justified. <br /> <br />For over 25 years the U.S. Forest Service has been studying vegetation <br />manage~ent on forest watersheds to increase runoff. The most effective <br />management measures for increasing water yield are clearcutting <br />timberlands and conversions from vegetation types such as chaparral <br />to meadowlands. Studies have also shown that the combined effects <br />of weather modification and vegetation modification on the same area <br />increase streamflow more than if the two practices are applied <br />separately. The Forest Service is conducting improvement measures <br />as part of their program to develop land management plans. <br /> <br />One of the most promising areas we have been investigating for <br />augmenting water supplies in the Colorado River Basin is weather <br />modification. The technOlogy of cloud seeding for significantly <br />enhancing snowpack is scientifically possible, appears to be the <br />most cost-effective means for increasing water supplies, and is within <br />sight. Several authoritative studies indicate that the flow of the <br />Colorado River could be increased at least 10 percent by snowpack <br />augmentation in the mountainous areas of the Basin states. <br /> <br />B. Results of Relevant Studies <br /> <br />Several major resource studies have examined the augmentation potential <br />of cloud seeding. In 1974, a departmental report on Water for Energy <br />in the Upper Colorado River Basin concluded augmentation by cloud <br />seeding was feasible. <br /> <br />-4- <br />