WMOD00301 ‎(2)‎

• Title: Conceptual Plan to Develop Water Augmentation by Weather Modification in the Colorado River
• Date: 5/14/1979
• Weather Modification - Doc Type: Report

DRAFT

potential should be expected in a responsibly conducted operational
application program. Reductions will usually be greater in the heavy
snowfall years and less in dry years. Thus, a reasonable average
augmentation of about 1,000,000 to 1,200,000 acre-feet per year in
the Upper Basin can be considered, based on current estimates, for
determining benefits and use of additional water from cloud seeding.

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The CRSS (Colorado River Simulation System) developed by the Bureau
of Reclamation offers a modeling approach to study possible effects
of future water uses and developments in the Colorado River Basin.
The CRSS model, which includes reservoir operations, has been tested
and used in the Bureau's investigations of westwide water problems 18/
and was used in a study to estimate the probable utility and benefit
of an assumed basinwide cloud seeding program conducted for a 1991 to
2020 period. Projected water developments for this study period were
incorporated and stochastically generated waterflows were used for
both the future river system inputs and as a base for estimating an
augmentation potential. Reductions for suspensions and operating
effectiveness averaging about 20 percent of the potential were used
in this study.

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Five possible uses of additional water and benefits are anticipated:

1. Insuring full water deliveries for the 1944 Water Treaty
obligations and current Reclamation projects to provide continued
full benefits.

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