Correspondences Related to CREST and Funding of CREST Program

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such as the Climax and Wolf Creek The Westwide Study stated that ". . Pass experiments conducted by weather modification appears to be Colorado State University, and the the most promising source of- new Bureau's Colorado River Basin Pilot water supply in the Western United Project. The validity of weather States," and the Advisory Board's modification as a means of increasing report endorsed winter seeding as precipitation was also a major ". ._ . the most advanced . . . and conclusion of the Westwide Study_ and closest to significant broad - scale the U.S. Secretary of Commerce's operational use of all cloud seeding Weather Modification Advisory Board. possibilities." 30,000 - - _ - - WIND - 25,000 —♦ ' TO KNOTS - •. �� s r 20,000 Y - W - — r__20° f15,000 - CLOUD TOP .x,10 45 ... ., AUGMENTED J a -. .. • SUPERCOOLED DROPS . _ l �. �•iia,�.l SNOW �� "•'"" •' ••• •sue 10.000 .. - CLOUD - - BASE s,00a SILVER IODIDE GENERATOR 10 - . - 20 - 30 - MILES IDEALIZED MODEL SHOWING METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS THAT WILL RESULT IN INCREASED SNOWFALL IF CLOUDS ARE SEEDED WITH SILVER IODIDE PARTICLES PROGRAM COSTS AND BENEFITS A fully operational Basin -wide cloud seeding program would produce an CREST is an 8 year, $88 million* estimated 2',263,000 acre -feet of program designed to demonstrate the water annually valued at $139.4 million per year. The Basin -wide capability of cloud seeding to program will cost between $12 and $16 augment the flow of the Colorado million annually, or approximately $5 River. An estimated 410,000 acre - to-$7 per acre -foot of water feet of water will be produced produced. annually during years that seeding is conducted. The additional water is The benefit - cost ratio of_a Basin - valued at $11.9 million each year in wide operational program i's- estimated increased hydroelectric energy to be from 9:1 to 12:1. The entire production, salinity reduction, and cost_of the 8-year CREST program is increased water supplies for less than, the value of benefits from industrial, agricultural and a single year of Basinwide recreational use. operations.