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<br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />SNOWPACK, CLOUD-SEEDING, AND THE COLORADO RIVER <br />Controlling Avalanche and Flood Hazards <br /> <br />A~,,~. .... <br />" .,: ,,:;.:.;~..:) <br />:,....:.'.... <br />... .'.i';:'.....,,:: <br />'.:<l,?iCY <br /> <br />The obvious hazards from too much snow in the Upper Basin <br />are avalanches and floods. To reduce these hazards by reducing <br />either the probability of occurrence or the people or property at <br />risk would add to the cost of water. <br />In the avalanches or snow slides that have made history, a <br />large mass of snow-tens of acres several feet deep-slips sud- <br />. denly down a steep mountainside, crushing trees, moving <br />boulders, covering roads, and destroying dwellings. However, <br />not all avalanches are dramatic; some are only small snow slides, <br />and others occur in remote wilderness areas beyond human <br />notice. <br /> <br /> <br />AVALANCHE SHED THAT CARRIES AVALANCHE RUN OVER HIGHWAY <br /> <br />Fifteen people were killed in avalanches in Colorado from <br />1960 to 1965. The greatest potential avalanche hazard is to the <br />highway traveler, since more and more people drive to ski re- <br />sorts. Also, more and more hunters, cross-country skiers, and <br /> <br />_~ ___.___ _1-~1___ ~__ __4.__=_ _ ....1-_ _ ...._.... _....__........ ___....._.........:_........,. <br />:SllUWlllUUllt:t:s CUC ClllCll11t; l11C 111UIC lC111UlC l11UU11lCU11UU:S <br />regions. <br />Cloud-seeding makes it snow longer, rather than more <br />often. The effect of seeding is to increase the. total new snow <br />during storms. An increase in snow depth leads to an increased <br />probability of an avalanche. <br />There are four basic methods available for controlling <br />avalanche hazards <br /> <br />.--.: <br />~HIGH <br />. ..,;"......... ....'. W4y <br /> <br />~ . ~ .. <br />FLE <br /> <br />Not permitting people or property in avalanche terrain when <br />the avalanche probability is high. <br /> <br /> <br />Stabilizing the snow (packing it down by skiing or trampling, <br />or breaking up snow slabs by blasting). <br /> <br />{ 75 mm I 105 mm RECOILESS RI <br />75 mm f 105 HOWITZER I <br />COMPRESSED GAS LAUNCHER <br /> <br />GUN POSITION <br /> <br />Installing passive devices such as wind panels for redirecting <br />snowladen wind; mounds, nets, or walls to halt the motion of <br />the snow avalanches; and avalanche sheds to carry the snow <br />slides over highways or railroads (Figure 9). <br /> <br />the hazard. <br /> <br />Fig. 9; Methods of avalanche control <br /> <br />Controlling cloud-seeding to minimize <br /> <br />33 <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />32 <br /> <br />Ii:: <br />j' <br />I <br />.. <br />