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season's seeding plan, but it could also be used in evaluating the project control. It is unlikely that forecasting will ever be that accurate, but better short-range and long-range forecasting would help to improve project management. Thorough economic analyses are needed to identify the direct and indirect benefits and disbenefits of precipitation management projects. Guide- lines need to be developed for repaying the cost of cloud seeding. An effective system is needed for compensating those who are adversely affected. These are very complex issues because a great many people other \ than those who actually use the water can be affected by precipitation management activities. ~ ~ A responsible program of coordination and management can assure the opti- mal application of precipitation management's state-of-the-art. Social and Legal Aspects Increased publicity over the past few years has educated a significant portion of the population about the capabilities and potential of pre- cipitation management. With this increased awareness has come increased concern about the effects on the environment and on man himself. Because people are concerned, emotions are involved and perceptions are some- times more dominant than pure facts. Those engaged in precipitation management, be it research or operations, are obligated to consider the social issues of the technology. The ability to respond to these issues is an important part of precipitation management technology. Experience while developing precipitation management technology has taught that most of the sociological problems can be resolved when an effective education program is coupled with an honest attempt to involve local people in the planning and decisionmaking phases. For this reason, most precipitation management projects are preceded by months of public discussion. The sponsoring groups visit the pro- posed project areas to describe the project design, explain what is likely to happen, explain why the project is needed and what the benefits and disbenefits will be. Local officials and interested citizens are involved as much as possible. After the seeding project is under way, periodic progress reports are issued to the public. The legal aspects of precipitation management are very complex at the present time. Some states have specific laws to regulate weather modification (one state prohibits it altogether); others simply require the reporting of activity; still others have no laws whatsoever. There is little in the way of judicial precedent to serve as guides in the case of damage associated with weather modification. The question of ~ 10