WMOD00084

• Applicant: Water Resources Development Corporation
• Sponsor Name: Cedaredge
• Project Name: Grand Mesa
• Title: Analysis of the Winter 1976 Cloudseeding Operations in the Grand Mesa CO Area
• Prepared For: Grand Mesa Water Users Association
• Date: 12/1/1976
• State: CO
• Country: United States
• Weather Modification - Doc Type: Report

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SNOW COURSE DATA

Snow course data provide another measure of the precipita-
tion by examining the change in the water equivalent of
the snow during the period being examined. The snow course
readings are taken at various locations around the first of
each month. The use of such data for precipitation analy-
sis purpOSeS is inexact at best, since a portion of the
moisture is lost due to evaporation, snow melt and runoff,
especially during the spring months. Obviously, the eleva-
tion of the recording station is also significant.

The snow course data for various locations inside and out-
side the project are shown in Figure 2. Since measure-
ments are available for only the first day of each month,
we considered the reports of February 1st and May 1st.
The changes (the May 1st water equivalent of the snow ex-
pressed as a percent of the February 1st water equivalent)
are depicted in Figure Z.

From the data considered, it can be seen that a 200 to

250 percent increase in the water content of the snow

occurred over the Grand Mesa National Forest where the

project was located. Although slightly greater increases

are observed near Wolf Creek Pass, an extensive dry zone

separates these two areas.

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