Laserfiche WebLink
<br />PART II. THE ROLE OF PRECIPITATION ENHANCEMENT IN THAILAND <br /> <br />A. Rationale <br /> <br />Cloud seeding to enhance precipitation appears to be a promising means of <br />augmenting the freshwater supplies of Thailand. If successful, cl.oud <br />seeding can be expected to augment the water supplies of each operational <br />area by about 10 percent annually. While relatively small, the added <br />amounts will be quite important as water demands by the growing population <br />increase. In addition, variations in natural precipitation and water <br />supply have large impacts on local agricultural production and the economy, <br />and weather modification can help to temper these variations. <br /> <br />Weather modification is a water management option with many unique and <br />attractive features. In many cases it is a cost-effective means of <br />augmenting the quantity of water and improving its quality as well. It <br />does not require major permanent construction and large fixed operation and <br />maintenance costs to implement. Moreover, it can be used to enhance the <br />operational effectiveness and efficiency of existing capital construction <br />facilities such as reservoirs and irrigation systems. In addition, a deci- <br />sion to employ cloud seeding can be implemented fairly quickly and is <br />reversible on a year-to-year basis, or even on a storm-to-storm basis, <br />should basin hydrology, weather patterns or public interests so dictate. <br /> <br />Weather modification should be viewed as but one tool in water resources <br />management. Implicit to its wise use is the presence of a national water <br />management strategy to regulate its application in accordance with national <br />water supply and demand policy. It should be recognized that other water <br />management improvements and practices will also be needed to help satisfy <br />the present and future water demands of Thailand. Consideration must also <br />be given to programs for improving the engineering effectiveness of <br />existing water storage and distribution systems, for improving soil conser- <br />vation practices, water conservation practices, irrigation scheduling and <br />reservoir management, and for charging for agricultural water to encourage <br />more efficient use of water. <br /> <br />Weather modification should not be viewed exclusively as a drought relief <br />measure. Cloud seeding by itself should not be expected to provide quick <br />and total relief from a drought. The moderate amount of added precipita- <br />tion will not, in the short term, make up for the severe water deficiency, <br />but it will certainly help. A program of precipitation enhancement is more <br />effective in cushioning the impact of recurrent drought if it is used on a <br />year-round basis during dry, average and even wet precipitation years <br />within the context of a national water management strategy to build soil <br />moisture, to improve cropland and to increase water in storage. A long- <br />term program with these goals is the proper role of weather modification in <br />the development and management of Thailandls water resources. <br /> <br /> ~ <br />,i <br /> ~ <br />~ <br /> <br />13 <br />