WMOD00460

• Title: Southwest Drought Research Program - Final Report
• Date: 9/1/1983
• Weather Modification - Doc Type: Report

The Oklahoma Water Resources Board has considered the environmental and
social impacts of weather modification in Oklahoma. Its survey of the
literature indicated no significant impacts of seeding agents. The analyses
suggest the possibility that additional precipitation could have a slight
effect on relative humidity, surface temperature, areal extent of cloud
cover, and sunshine intensity, but none of these impacts is expected to be
adverse. Weather modification will have no effect on air quality, except
that precipitation and winds from seeded clouds could wash out pollutants and
mix stagnant, polluted air if seedi~g took place in the vicinity of a major
metropolitan area. Weather modification is expected to have little effect
on landslides, soil erosion, soil characteristics, land-use practices,
ground-water recharge (except long-term projects), or outdoor leisure-time
activities. Although seeding criteria will be chosen to minimize the risk of
causing flash floods, the possibility will always exist. Therefore, the
Water Board is considering an institutional framework to deal with public
perception of the risk and to provide postflood assistance, if necessary.

Additional runoff and streamflow could increase the amount of water avail-
able for municipal and industrial purposes, including power generation.
No perceptible increases in pests or disease-transmitting organisms are
expected, and additional precipitation might decrease the occurrences of
locust infestations. No significant effects on plant or animal habitats
are foreseen. There is a slight possibility of an increase in automobile
accidents associated with wet roads. The study recognizes that other
environmental, social, and legal issues may become apparent when the State
implements an operational cloud seeding project.

The Oklahoma Water. Resources Board also considered the economic impact of
weather modification. It was beyond the scope of the project to carry out
benefit-cost analyses, but their review of earlier weather modification and
related studies generally suggested that the benefit/cost ratio is favorable
for weather modification. The economic impact of weather modification is
best studied through the use of economic models. Linear and quadratic models
have been used in agriculture to study the effects of weather on crop yields.
Input-output models have been useful in determining the interactions among

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