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<br />.- <br /> <br />Mr. Arlo Richardson, Utah State Climatologist. outlined the general approach <br />being used in the overall study (fig. 4). The impact of drought conditions <br />on the following five aspects of the economy are being considered: <br /> <br />1. Range and dry farming (as related to current year's rainfall). <br />2. Winter wheat (current year's precipitation as modified by summer <br />fa11owingl. <br />j. Natural streamflow rights (irrigation), <br />4. Storage rights (irrigation). and <br />5. Ground water. <br />a. Full service - relatively unaffected by drought over the short <br />term. <br />b. Supplemental - does not significantly affect incremental benefits <br />from winter modification but will affect costs. <br /> <br />Mr. Richardson also discussed his ongoing climatological studies. The first <br />step was a review of the literature. during which several drought definitions <br />were considered. The Palmer Drought Index was found to be the most useful for <br />the purposes of this study. Programs for calculating the Palmer Drought <br />Index have been modified to allow input of selected precipitation increases <br />during drought months. The modified indexes will be used by project hydrologists <br />and economists to determine the potential increase in water storage and the <br />overall economic impact of cloud seeding under drought conditions. The <br />Palmer Index is being extended back to the beginning of record by using <br />long-term stations in each climate division in the state. <br /> <br />Mr. Joe Sutherland outlined North American Weather Consultants' analysis of <br />the potential for weather modification during a drought. The results showed <br />that drought months (Palmer Index less than -2) have relatively more weather <br />types characterized by a high pressure ridge over the western states and <br />relatively fewer weather types having low pressure over the western states. <br />There appeared to be little difference between individual storms that occurred <br />during drought and nondrought periods, and monthly mean 700-mb heights <br /> <br />14 <br />