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Cboper et al. (1974:59) claim that snow augmentation would increase removal costs in the Sierra Nevada. They indicate that the amount of the increase, however, would depend on the nature of augmentation. "The adverse effects . . . would be greatly reduced if seedingl resulted in increased intensity of snowfall instead of duration" (1974:60). By way of exaIIq)le, they point out that plowing 11 inches of snow instead of 10 inches would make much less difference than operating plows for 11 hours instead of 10. unfortunately, scientists do not know yet if seeding causes storms of greater intensity, or greater duration, or both. Colorado State university researchers have interpreted findings by Chappell et al. (1971) to suggest that the main effect of seeding is to extend the period of precipitation (Mielke et al., 1981:647), but investigation of this irrportant question continues. An answer to it must be found before added costs of snow removal can be determined definitively. .1: Harris (1981:98), in his assessment of environmental irrpacts of the Sierra Cooperative pilot Project, states that increased snowpack could affect snow removal in communities located more' than 6000 feet above sea level. He does not discuss the extent of this effect but indicates that it would depend on the efficiency and adequacy of snow removal operations. The California Department of Transportation reports that "recorded data do not provide us with the refinement necessary to analyze costs involved in snow removal for a small incremental increase in precipitation" (Harris, 1981:99). The Department indicates, however, that small increases in snowfall would result in little additional cost, because the men and equipment used to remove the extra snow are already necessary for basic winter highway maintenance. The Department also states that wind and ice close roads more often than snow does. ~ -4-