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<br />Sill.~fARY <br /> <br />() Draft <br /> <br />(X) Final <br /> <br />Environmental Statenent <br /> <br />Prepared by Department of Interior. Bureau of Reclamation. Division <br />of Atmospheric Water Resources ~anagement, Engineering and Research <br />Center, Denver, CO 80225 Telephone: (303) 234-2056 <br /> <br />1. T~~e of action: <br /> <br />(X) Administrative <br /> <br />( ) <br /> <br />Legislative <br /> <br />2. Brief description of action: <br /> <br />The program is a research cloud seeding effort designed to remove <br />scientific uncertainties and develop the technology required to make <br />cloud seeding a scientifically sound and socially acceptable water <br />resources management tool. The field seeding experiments have been <br />conducted thus far at selected sites in the Western States. Support- <br />ing studies are conducted throughout the Nation but are mostly found <br />in the West. Field experiments are conducted in the mountains during <br />the winter and in the plains during the s~ner. <br /> <br />3. Summary of environmental impact and adverse environmental effects: <br /> <br />Skywater research is not expected to have adverse impacts of major <br />significance. An effect on avalanches and snow removal costs might <br />occur, but probably will be undetectable. An applied technology <br />could increase high forest and alpine seasonal snowpacks by up to <br />15 percent and lengthen snow cover by a week in areas prone to <br />drifting. High-country runoff would be increased by up to 20 per- <br />cent. Water quality should improve locally. In very few locations, <br />the carrying capacity of elk ranges could be decreased, but probably <br />not to a detectable level. Summer-convective rainfall may be <br />increased by 10 percent. resulting in minor, local increases in <br />humidity. runoff, and ground-water levels. Erosion probably would <br />be decreased on vegetated lands. but range converted to cropland <br />could become more subject to erosion. <br /> <br />4. Alternatives considered: <br /> <br />Termination of project; expansion of conventional water resources <br />engineering; exploitation of ground-water resources; interbasin <br />diversion; geothermal waters; desalination; reuse of degraded <br />water; conservation; otner atmospneric technologies. <br /> <br />5. Comments nave been requested from the following: <br /> <br />See fOllowing list. <br /> <br />6. Date statement made available to CEQ and the public: <br />Draft: ~arch 5. 19i6 <br />Final: <br />