Western Governor's Association Meeting May 31 2005

Home Browse Search

-2- leadership of either the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation or the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration to ensure success. Western states may also use as a foundation the recent Wyoming program that provides state funding of $8.85 million for five years of operations and evaluation. The Weather Modification Association, World Meteorological Organization, American Meteorological Society and the NAS all state that there is strong evidence for seasonal precipitation increases on the order of 10% over natural precipitation. To achieve such increases, however, well - designed projects must be operated on a long -term and continuing basis, not just during droughts when WM is less effective. Well- designed projects will help till reservoirs for use during times of greater need such as droughts. The cost of WM is on the order of $10 per acre -foot making it attractive to alternatives such as desalinization and construction of new reservoirs. Given typical costs of water for agricultural purposes, this cost represents benefit -to -cost ratios approaching 40 to 1. We encourage a renewed interest into a cooperative program among states that commits to the augmentation of streamflow along our major river systems. There once was a state- federal commitment under the "Law of the River" in chapter _ and verse ! to weather modification operations to benefit all water users. We should work collectively to develop a program that provides funding and collaboration with the goal of reducing the impacts of drought. WM should be used to increase the ability to recover from drought. Given that weather modification can produce a few millimeters of snow per snowstorm in a target area, we should continually seed selected storms systems year in and year out. Wintertime cloud seeding to augment snowpack is scientifically documented to be the most reliable form of WM but other forms of WM are useful as well. Within the borders of Colorado the trend of population growth, new values on water based recreation, and competition between municipalities and agriculture are changing the face of the landscape. Continued low flows and along the Front Range make additional snowpack more attractive. The attached map shows snowfields in the west and is arguably the best cloud seeding potential and the best opportunity for drought preparedness and mitigation is in the west. This map should serve as discussion as a strategy to lessen the effects of droughts collectively and in our own states. New areas for collaboration and exploration are common in all of our states. Further reasons that we should renew commitment to weather modification is that there is growing evidence that air pollution is modifying our weather and climate and is inhibiting precipitation downwind of urban areas. Clouds have shown through satellite pictures, climate studies, and measurements that air pollution is changing atmospheric aerosols critical to precipitation formation and this could be causing decreased rain and snow. We can use the same processes in reverse with weather modification and contend that current weather modification efforts may be offsetting recent precipitation decreases. The CWCB asserts that WM is cost effective, under utilized, and credible form of resource management that will prepare us for and mitigate the lingering effects of drought. Successful implementation of what we have learned about weather modification for water management will require faith, patience, and a continued commitment. We encourage a dialogue at the WGA about common challenges and strategies for basin -wide drought mitigation. The issue is not whether small -scale WM programs will develop in our states but centers around our ability to assist in the transition from crisis management initiatives to more preemptive and proactive initiatives and take a leadership role in drought migitation. Flood Protection • Water Project Planning and Finance • Stream and Lake Protection Water Supply Protection • Conservation Planning