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<br />I <br /> <br />A PILOT PROJECT OF WEATHER MODIFICATION <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />FOR THE SAN JUAJ.'I MOUNTAINS OF SOUTHERN COLORADO <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I . <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />I. INTRODUCTION <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />A sequence of steps for developing and testing a modification technology <br />for enhancing precipitation was adopted and described by the Bureau of <br />Reclamation in 1966 (Bureau of Reclamation, 1966). This provided for <br />a progression of efforts from experimental to pilot and finally to fully <br />operational projects. The term "operational" for purposes of the planning <br />document was used to describe projects for obtaining the benefits of <br />an applied technology. The Colorado River Basin Act which became law <br />in 1968, specifies the Bureau of Reclamation's obligation to dE~velop <br />early means of water augmentation. The sequence for the development <br />of a precipitation enhancement technology as outlined by the Bureau <br />of Reclamation was consistent with the recommendations of the January <br />1966 report of weather and climate modification by the National Academy <br />of Science (National Academy of Sciences--National Research Council, 1966). <br />One of that panel's recorrrrnended first steps was ". . . the early establish- <br />ment of several carefully designed, randomized seeding experimEmts, <br />planned in such a way as to permit the assessment of seedability of <br />various storm types". As outlined by the Bureau of Reclamation, this type <br />of project would represent an experimental type project. In the case <br />of the upper Colorado River Basin, such an experimental prograTIl had <br />been established near Climax, Colorado, by Colorado State University <br />in 1960 with the support of the National Science Foundation. This <br />project was as recommended by the NAS committee, a carefully designed, <br />randomized seeding experiment, and permitted the assessment of seedability <br />of a variety of storm types. By the spring of 1966 the Bureau of Reclama- <br />tion had eight winter time orographic weather modification experiments <br />under way throughout the mountainous areas of the western statE!S. These <br />were located in: (1) the Park Range in northern Colorado; (2) the <br />Elk Mountains in southern Wyoming; (3) the Jemez Mountains of northern <br />New Mexico; (4) the Wasatch Mountains in northern Utah; (5) the Cascade <br />Range in Washington; (6) the central Sierra Mountains in California; <br />(7) the Bridger Range in Montana; (8) and the Lake Tahoe area in <br />Nevada and California. One purpose of the deliberate spread of projects <br />was to study cloud and precipitation modification under various climatolo- <br />gical and terrain conditions and to begin development of a seeding <br />technology in the more critical water supply areas. Four of the eight <br />experiments were in or immediately adjacent to the upper Colorado River <br />Basin. Even though many questions remain unanswered, the results from <br />such experimental programs form a solid basis for proceeding to pilot- <br />type projects as envisioned in the operational adaptation sequence <br />presented in the 1966 Bureau of Reclamation planning document. The <br />potential for precipitation augmentation has been demonstrated for some <br />areas, under certain weather conditions. <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I. <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />1 <br />