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particular emphasis on distinguishing between effects ascribable to the treatment and the natural fluctuations of the weather that would have occurred anyway. An acceptable technology requires two other functions: Assessment of the effects of precipitation-augmentation treatments on weather outside the area of intended effect; and assessment of the impacts of precipitation augmentation on components of the environment other than those intended to be directly affected. The scope of Project Skywater specifically excludes the present application of precipitation management technology for benefi- ficial use by the Bureau of Reclamation except under extraordi- nary circumstances. In the past, these circumstances have taken the form of requests from the Office of Emergency Preparedness to undertake short-term cloud seeding operations for the alle- viation of droughts in certain states that had been declared drought disaster areas. Project Skywater may be called upon for similar emergency assistance ij the future. With these exceptions, the present and planned role of Project Skywater respecting applications is to provide technical assistance in the transfer of the technology to user agencies planning bene- ficial applications of precipitation augmentation. The possible scope of precipitation management extends to other weather situations and to other settings. In particular, it is foreseen that experimentation will eventually extend to preci- pitation from mesoscale convective systems (groups or assembl- ages of thunderstorms), upslope precipitation systems, the warrn- front precipitation regions of cyclonic storm systems, and to the modification of the development and motion of cyclonic . . storms themselves. This Environmental Statement examines the present progr~~ projected ahead as best it can be judged likely to develop over the next 10 years or so. The physical scope of the programs currently contemplated extends only to mesoscale weather systems, those embracing a single oro- graphic or convective cloud system. The planned Sierra Coop- erative program relates to a specific mountain massif or water- shed area. The HIPLEX experiment, described in paragraph 1.3.1, will consider the effects of the seeding of individual clouds on the subsequent development of mesoscale systems and may proceed to the formulation and testing of hypotheses related to purposeful modification of these systems. Experimentation in the other fields mentioned, how- ever, will be the subject of future decisions regarding the author- ization of activities and allocation of resources. 1-5