WMOD00285 ‎(2)‎

• Title: Feasibility Study of Wintertime Cloud Seeding to Augment Arizona Water Supplies
• Date: 1/1/1987
• State: AZ
• Weather Modification - Doc Type: Report

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for the same process since studies are performed at greater length and
depth.

A limited study was performed on the legal and socioeconomic impacts of
cloud seeding in Arizona. The study suggested potential legal problems
without precedents that may be debated in the courts, or for which the
legislature could enact laws that provide a legal basis for resolution.
None of the problems appear serious enough to preclude precipitation
augmentation in Arizona, but studies may be required to estimate gains and
losses that should be included in benefit/cost analyses.

A limited economic study was performed employing the three augmentation
scenarios stated previously, with several estimated water demands for each
user type. Only direct benefits were estimated and these were limited to
the Phoenix AMA and users along the Gila River. Results indicated that
cloud treatment benefits range from a low of $3.8 million for the smallest
precipitation enhancement considered to $15.1 million for the largest
enhancement.

Based on current results favorable to wintertime cloud see'ding over the
Mogollon Rim, four program options are offered for consideration. The
goals of these options are to confirm treatment feasibility, develop treat-
ment strategies and, in three of the options, provide for the assessment of
long-term seeding effects at various risk levels. Assessment involves the
collection and analysis of a number of cases adequate to (1) sample all
important storm types sufficiently to avoid bias from nonrepresentative
weather patterns and (2) sample enough cases such that in the aggregate.
specified risk levels are met. Knowledge! gained from a selected program
should allow the development of an operational effort that deals with all
wet, normal and dry winters to yield the most productive and cost effective
water production by cloud seeding.

Option 1 (five-year program)

A five-year program option consisting of physical studies is pre-
sented, aimed at determining treatml:!nt feasibility and strategies but
not assessment of long-term seeding effects (no randomized phase).

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