WMOD00436

• Project Name: Project Skywater
• Title: HIPLEX - 1978 Operations Plan - Miles City, Montana
• Date: 1/1/1978
• Weather Modification - Doc Type: Report

I. HIP LEX Overview and Objectives

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A. Introduction

The High Plains Cooperative Program (HIPLEX) is part of the Bureau of

Reclamation's Project Skywater, Project Skywater has the overall goal of

developing an effective weather modification technology, scientifically

and socially acceptable, for precipita.tion management to serve a portion

of the Nation's water resources needs.

A primary goal of HIPLEX is the reduction of critical scientific

uncertainties concerning natural cloud and precipitation processes, and the

alterations in cloud structure and resultant precipitation that occur when

warm season convective cou1ds are seeded in a prescribed manner. A major

objective is to identify those conditions when convective cloud seeding

leads to increases, no effect, or decreases in precipitation, and the areal
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extent and magnitude of these effects, Deve1op~ent of an improved precipi-

tation management technology will proceed from simple cloud systems to more

complex and extensive cloud and mesoscale systems as results and concepts

provide a basis.

Three experimental areas have been chosen for HIPLEX. These surround

Miles City, !-lantana, Co1by-Good1and, Kansas, and Big Spring-Snyder, Texas,

representing, respectively, the northern, central, and southern High Plains,

Three sites were chosen because climatic conditions and cloud characteristics

vary significantly over the north-south extent of the High Plains.

The degree of emphasis of particular portions of the overall HIP LEX

field research often differs among the sites, Certain activities can be

concentrated at a single site with good assurance that the understanding

gained will be reasonably applicable to the entire High Plains; for example,

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