WMOD00395

• Title: Weather Modification Reporting Program - 1973-1978
• Date: 6/1/1979
• Weather Modification - Doc Type: Report

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WEATHER MODIFICATION REPORTING PROGRAM, 1973-1978

ABSTRACT

Part I of this report is a summary of reported weather
modification activities for calendar years 1976, 1977,
and 1978. Information presented on the reported weather
modification projects includes purposes, locations,
sponsors, operators, equipment, techniques, target
areas, seeding agents, seeding duration, operational
considerations, and environmemta1 factors.

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In Part II, some adjusted data from published summaries
of activities for 1973-75 are~ compared with the data for
Part I.

INTRODUCTION

Public Law 92-205 requires that all nonfederally sponsored attempts to
modify the weather be reported to the Secretary of Commerce. Respo~lsibi-
lity for administering a reporting program on behalf of the Secretary was
delegated to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
in 1972. A year later, Federal agencies agreed to report their weather
modification activities to NOAA. Thus the reporting program has become
the single, authoritative repository of information on weather modification
projects carried out in the United States and its territories. This in-
formation provides data on past and ongoing weather modification experiments
and operational projects. The reporting program provides information that
can help to assess the possibility of harm to persons, property, or the
environment, or of interference with Federal or other research projects.
Therefore, the effectiveness of the program is enhanced by timely and
accurate reporting of activities.

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The reports of weather modification activities on file with NOAA furnish
useful information for several other purposes. Persons planning projects,
writing news articles, or preparing these request historical data for
individual states, regions. or the United States. Congressional staffs,
Federal and State officials, and private citizens inquire or complain
about weather modification activities associated with adverse weathl~r
conditions. On occasion, plaintiffs, defendents, or their lawyers ask
for records of activities in connection wi.th law suits. All requests for
data are honored by either a telephone reply, copies of reports, or
referrals.

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In addition, NOAA's reporting program serves two functions on the inter-
national scene. On March 26, 1975, the Government of the United States and
the Government of Canada signed an agreement to exchange information on

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