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5. Indicate how the proposed project is reasonably expected to benefit both persons living in the target area <br />and the people of Colorado. <br />Communities adjacent to ski areas provide employees, lodging and a multitude of local and support <br />services to the nearby ski resort. Any economic increase for ski resorts through improved snow pack for <br />greater recreational enjoyment adds a greater economic base for the entire community. Increased revenue <br />for a business generally reflects itself in greater expenditures for more employees, and the purchase of more <br />local services and goods. With out current local, county and state sales tax systems, these increased <br />expenditures: result in greater tax revenues being generated at all levels to maintain or improve all tax - <br />based services or facilities to a region. <br />Reasonable increases in snow pack and runoff water have a beneficial effect for the communities and <br />regions that realize the additional snow pack increase and augmented water supply through improved <br />prospects for winter and summer recreation, agriculture, home use, grazing and timber production <br />Drainage from the mountain valleys helps irrigate fruit and other crops in the Grand Valley. <br />Augmented water from operational weather modification programs usually costs less than $3.00 to $10.00 <br />per acre foot while other supplies generally cost around $200.00 top $500.00 per acre foot saving tax <br />payers considerable revenue. <br />The augmented water supplies can also provide additional stream flow to meet downstream water <br />commitments established through various River Compacts. <br />Ref 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 15 <br />6. Indicate how the proposed project is scientifically and technically feasible. <br />The operational procedure implemented for this project has its roots in the earlier research and operational <br />programs at Climax, Colorado and in the San Juan Mountains. These procedures have been refined from <br />later research and operational programs conducted in Utah and other western mountainous regions.. These <br />results generally indicate that seasonal precipitation augmentation derived by these programs ranges from <br />about 5 to 15 percent for this type of winter modification project. <br />Ref: 1, 2, 3.4.6. 10, 13, 14, 15 <br />7. Describe how the proposed project is designed for and offers promise of expanding the knowledge and <br />technology of weather modification (applicable to research projects only). <br />Not applicable to this project. <br />However, it should be noted that liquid propane (LP) has been utilized in some seeding operations and <br />appears to be especially effective in warmer storms. Use of the LP dispenser located at Whitewater Creek <br />is a continuation of a randomized seeding research study conducted in 2004 over the Wasatch Plateau in <br />Utah utilizing LP seeding.. <br />The results from this research study show a 25 percent snow fall increase in seeded experimental units over <br />unseeded periods The probability that this increase could have occurred by chance was less than 5 percent. <br />Also 2D-C2 probes and other instruments indicate propane seeded precipitation rates of greater than 0.01 <br />inches per hour. . <br />Ref: 17 <br />8. Appraise the risk that the proposed project could cause substantial harm to land, water, people, health, <br />safety, property and the environment. <br />