Weather Mod Report - 1977

• Project Type: General OWC
• Project Name: Weather Modification
• Title: "What Should Colorado Be Doing in Weather Modification"
• Date: 11/9/1977
• County: Statewide
• Water Conservation - Doc Type: Final Report

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the ranges that feed the upper Green River above Flaming Gorge Reservoir,
we involve the Wyoming Range and the Snake River, the Gros Ventre and Wind
River ranges and several tributaries of the Yellowstone River, and the
Uinta Range and the Duchesne River. Likewise if we consider the Colorado
River above Grand Junction, we must deal with the Front Range and the
North Platte River, the Sawatch Range and the Arkansas River, the La Garrita
Mountains and the Rio Grande, and rhe San Juan Mountains and the San
Juan River. Do we consider the San Juan River: we have only the San Juan
Mountains as a major range, and affect also the Rio Grande.

These geographical facts place Colorado at the hub of its.local water
universe and connects its weather modification policy and future program
with those of each and all of its neighboring states and with the Lower
Basin states of Nevada, Arizona, and California. In each river, and
in each state, there is or soon will be greater demand for Colorado State
water than can be met from the present flow of the rivers.

d
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Is Colorado River Basin water to be dedicated to production of shale oil?
To gasification, liquification, or slurry transport of coal? To cooling
of fossil- or nuclear-fueled power plants? These uses cannot but reduce
the amount dedicated to the lowest-priority use, irrigated agriculture.
Perhaps by limiting further expansion of irrigation. Perhaps even by
withdrawing presently irrigated land from production, especially in
times of water famine. Can the State of Colorado afford to stand aside
from any issue germane to this situation? By putting more water in the
river, Colorado would improve its situation. By putting forth its
best effort, regardless of the degree of success, it would strengthen
its hand.

Colorado has a stake. It has also an unique opportunity. Many of the
barriers tending to delay application of weather modification are easier
for the State to surmount than for either the Federal Government or local
groups. The workshop group on socioeconomics at the Skywater IX
conference a year ago identified the following barriers:

Heterogeneity of needs and concerns among potential users
Lack of an adequate water-pricing mechanism to determine who pays for
what
Lack of demonstrated capability or a scientific consensus supporting
validity
Lack of sensitivity toward people
Lack of a mechanism for compensating the disbenefitted
No one level of government appropriately situated to take action

They went on to note that the role of government is to respond to the interests
and concerns of citizens and to balance needs against constraints. Colorado
and Coloradans have a stake: Colorado can respond to interests of Coloradans
and balance their needs against the constraints.

Another factor is the policy
no consistent local policy.

vacuum. There is no national policy. There is
Colorado, In coordination with other Colorado

ry