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Contract Summaries CONTRACTOR: State of Montana, Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Helena, Montana CONTRACT NO. 14-06-D-7577 (Memorandum of Understanding) PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Richard Moy CONTRACT PERIOD: August 28, 1974, to December 31, 1980 FY79 FUNDING: $254,210 PURPOSE: Cooperative Weather Modification Research in the High Plains under a Memorandum of Understanding between the State of Montana and the Water and Power Resources Service Water and Power and State personnel share facilities and equipment and coordinate field activities at the Miles City, Montana HIPLEX site. The State provides a wide variety of meteorological support services including data collection, reduction, management, and analysis. State scientists are also studying impacts of increased growing-season rainfall on agricultural and natural ecosystems. In 1979, Water and Power and the State cooperated in planning and preparing for an extensive meteorological network east of Miles City. The network - a system of solar-powered, automatic weather data collection stations - began operation in the 1980 summer season with 24 stations. It is anticipated that surface weather features will aid in predicting the location and magnitude of convective storms. From May through September, State scientists carry out agroecological research studies. The goal is to determine and measure the effects of precipitation management on the quality and quantity of forage production, relationships between plant growth and plant and soil water potential, invasion of either desirable range grasses or weedy species, and many other important ecosystem parameters. Summer 1979 marked the third study season. At two grassland sites, sprinkler irrigation systems simulate rainfall situations with differ- ing combinations of seasonal timing and amount. Eighteen new plots were installed at the two sites in 1979 to study effects of heavy, saturating rainfall on plant productivity. This research will correlate productivity with the occurrence of a single, heavy rainshower during the growing season. Ecological studies of grasshoppers have often considered the importance of weather in determining population size and growth rate. In 1979, the Insti- tute of Ecology, University of Georgia, completed a 2-year rangeland study under contract to the State. Preliminary conclusions indicate that grass- hoppers find and feed on grasses treated with amino acids that commonly increase in plants under drought stress. Insect concentrations on drought- stressed and nitrogen-enriched plants may increase, along with enhanced growth and survival. This finding is consistent with the observation of grasshoppers in High Plains drought years. Grasshopper concentrations may be lowered through rangeland management by irrigation or by weather modification to relieve droughts. 8