WMOD00541

• Title: Adaptation of the Rhea Winter Orographic Precipitation Model to Morocco
• Date: 4/1/1989
• Weather Modification - Doc Type: Report

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1. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

1.1 Introduction
In many mountainous regions around the world, hydrologists and
meteorologists have pointed out the effects of topography on winter
precipitation and have tried to find a scientifically sound explanation
for the phenomenon. Because an accurate diagnostic and predictive
knowledge of the temporal and spatial distribution of winter precipita-
tion in mountainous regions is of considerable importance to a wide
range of populations, the idea of using a computer model to address this
problem arose about three decades ago, and some attempts were conclusive
to a certain degree.
Morocco was subject to below normal rainfall conditions during most
of the 1970's and early 1980's. The period extending from 1979 to 1983
has been exceptionally dry. Due to the length of the drought, most of
the reservoirs across the country were reduced to an average of 10% of
their designed water storage capacity. The social and economic impact
of this serious situation, considered to be the worst in modern history,
were aggravated by the increased demand for additional water resources
caused by population growth, industrialization, urbanization, and expan-
sion of irrigation.
As a consequence of this situation, the government of Morocco
fllrmulated an official request for technical assistance in weather
modification to the government of the United states of America, after
which, a team of American experts recommended a weather modification
pl'ogram with emphasis on winter snowpack augmentation in the High Atlas
Mountains.