Laserfiche WebLink
<br />In the early I 980s, the Basin States and Reclamation were preparing legislation to <br />authorize a cost-shared WxMod demonstration program for the Colorado River Basin <br />that focused on augmenting winter orographic storms. The high runoff years of 1983- <br />1986 and nearly full reservoirs thereafter prevented the program from proceeding. The <br />Basin-wide seeding program ideas was revived in the form of CREST (see above) during <br />the early 1990s, but was again not pursued. Reclamation could make an updated <br />evaluation of the status of the technology and its potential for augmenting the Colorado <br />River water supply. Such an endeavor could mitigate the adverse effects of climate <br />change, an inadvertent form ofWxMod. <br /> <br />Approaches <br /> <br />Funding of Research Institutes. The roadblocks impeding progress in weather <br />modification are part of the wider research problems facing atmospheric sciences as a <br />whole -lack of coordinated research. Since the 1980s the need for a large national <br />laboratory facility to study different simulation experiments has been identified. Such a <br />facility has not yet been created, nor is there even a mechanism for long-term planning <br />and funding of a laboratory for cloud physics research. There is no coordinated effort to <br />address the overall process of precipitation formation or ice interactions, only limited <br />studies by individuals. The California seeding group is proposing strong interactions <br />with research agencies, and possibly formation of a WxMod research facility. <br /> <br />Monitoring and Legislative Activities. The Basin States should monitor legislative <br />initiatives made in this field, such as the Congressional legislation or WDMP <br />continuance. This activity requires little effort or cost, but does not necessarily lead to a <br />new water supply because of the vagaries offederal interest and funding. Nevertheless, <br />participation of this type by state and private entities lends credibility to proposed <br />legislation. This activity could be one component of a larger set of activities that the <br />Basin States could undertake. <br /> <br />Program Development. The sponsorship decision to support an operational cloud seeding <br />program can be viewed as a risk management assessment. What is the risk of making the <br />wrong decision weighed against the potential benefit/cost ratio? Numerous studies have <br />demonstrated that a 10 to 15% increase in precipitation can provide sizable benefits to a <br />variety of stakeholders (irrigated agriculture, hydroelectric production, municipal water <br />supplies) at very favorable benefit ratios of5 to 10:1 or higher (001,1993). For <br />example, if a potential sponsor of a cloud seeding program, following careful <br />deliberation, decided they had an 80% likelihood of obtaining a 10% increase in <br />precipitation and that increase would yield a benefit/cost ratio of 10: I, they would <br />probably choose to support the program. However, as stated above, the initial costs of <br />developing a program are high, the permitting may be onerous, and the timeframe for the <br />production of additional water may be several to many years. Yet the benefit-to-cost <br />ratios are significantly greater than investment in other water development projects, such <br />as desalination or the construction of new reservoirs. <br /> <br />-23- <br />