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<br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />. EXECUl'IVE SU\1MARY <br /> <br />Purpose <br /> <br />The Weather t-bdification Pl:ogram of the Colorado Department of Natural <br />Resources conducted this study to compare the potential of cloud seeding to <br />enhance mountain snowpack in Colorado during dry, normal and wet winters. <br />The study was undertaken to help decide when seeding could be rrost effective <br />in augmenting Colorado's water supply. Its objective was to determine if, <br />as some scientists have sPE~ulated, fewer seedable storms and lower <br />percentage increases in snowpac:k are expected during dry winters than during <br />winters of average or above average precipitation. Assessment of the <br />relative effectiveness of seeding in dry and wet winters was desirable <br />because it is anticipated tha.t seeding will be proposed as a method of <br />increasing rrountain snowpack during future drought. <br /> <br />The study was funded by the Southwest Drought Research Program, Bureau of <br />Reclamation, Department of the Interior, a program of technical and <br />socioeconomic research pertinent to the future use of cloud seeding for <br />drought relief in Colorado, Ari:imna, Utah, Oklahoma and Texas. <br /> <br />Drought in Colorado <br /> <br />o Severe drought in the rrountains of Colorado during the winters of 1976-77 <br />and 1980-81 caused revenues at ski areas to decline dramatically and the <br />agricultural conmunity to inc:ur economic loss. <br /> <br />o In response to the dry conditions, local water-user agencies, the state <br />legislature and the u.S. BurE~au of Reclamation sponsored major efforts to <br />increase rrountain snowpack by seeding in the spring of 1977 and the <br />winter of 1977-78. Seeding, funded by ski areas, water-users, and local <br />goverrnnents and businesses, has been conducted each winter since then. <br />When unusually dry conditions returned to the rrountains in 1980-81, <br />interest in Seeding increased. The state did not sponsor seeding at this <br />time, however, because of doubts about the effectiveness of seeding <br />during dry periods and the inability to evaluate short-term programs <br />adequately. <br /> <br />1 <br />