WMOD00044

• Sponsor Name: CWCB
• Project Name: Memorandum to Russell George DNR Executive Director
• Title: Potential Topic for Western Governors Association Future Meeting - Large Scale Wether Modification Programs for Managing Water Supply
• Prepared For: Russell George, Executive Director
• Prepared By: Joe Busto, CWCB
• Date: 6/9/2005
• Weather Modification - Doc Type: Correspondence

WEATHER MODI FICA nON RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY
TRANSFER ACT OF 2005 (S. 517)
COLORADO WATER CONSERV A nON BOARD
SALlDA, COLORADO
MA Y 24, 2005

RESOLUTIO;,\;

WHEREAS, the 109m Congress is considering Senate Bill5171hal authorizes $100 million in
Federal expenditures from Federal Fiscal years 2005 - 2014 to enhance federal support for weather
modification. promOle research and development. and provide tinancial assistance 10 private and public
entities; and

WHEREAS. the State of Colorado recognizes the benefits derived lTom wealher modification
through state starutes and programs: and

WHEREAS. The Weather .\-Iodification Association and the North American Interstate Weather
Modification Council support a "coordinated national program" to funher the science. understanding.
and utility of weal her modification: and

WHEREAS. The Colorado \Vater Conservation Boord (eWeB) has statewide representation
through: representatives from the eight major river basins in Colorado. the City and County of Denver.
the Executive Director of Narural Resources. the Commissioner of Agriculture, the Director of the
Colorado Water Conservation Board. the Director of the Di....ision of Wildlife. the State Engineer. and
the Attorney General of the Colorado Department of La\\'; and

WHEREAS, the eWeB mission is to conserve. de,'elop. protect and manage Colorado's water
for present and future generations; and

WHEREAS. the eWeB has recently issued seven weather modification pennils sponsored by
local water users for wintertime ground based weather modification for snow augmentation in the South
Platte. Arkansas. Colorado. Gunnison. San Miguel, and San Juan River Basins; and

WHEREAS, eighty percent of the freshwater within Colorado's state boundaries originate from
snow and the American Meteorological Society (1998). \\lorld ~teteorologieal OrganiL..ation (200 1). and
the National Academy of Sciences Repon (2003) all endorse statements that there is strong physical and
statistical evidence that wintertime weather modification creates additional snowpack in watersheds;
and

WHEREAS. Colorado Senate BiII 05-084, the "C\VCB \Vater Projects Bill". provides S6O.000
in funding to local '....ater users through the weather modification cost share program: and

WHEREAS. the Colorado Water Conservation Board is a member of the l\onh American
Interstate Weather ~lodification Council and ".'orks with the srates of California. Crah. Wyoming, North