WMOD00131

• Applicant: Western Weather Consultants
• Project Name: San Juan Mtns.
• Date: 11/15/1979
• Weather Modification - Doc Type: License & Permits

DECISION AND PERMIT-Page 3

17, The project is designed to minimize risk and maX~1ze scientific gains
or economic benefits to the 'residents of the area or the State of Colorado.
The recommendation of the Weather Modification Advisory Committee supports
this finding.

PERMIT GRANTED

A :Weather M:djf:ica:im Pe:rmit is hereby issued t~ the' Applicant, such Permit
being, applicable solely to the operation described ,in application of
August 29, 1978, as modified by the TERMS'AND CONDITIONS prescribed below.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The permit herein granted is limited by and subject to the following
terms and conditions:

1. This permit shall be in force from November '15, 1978 until
February 15~ 1979.

2. The project area' to be seeded is hereby limited strictly to that area
set forth in the application as derined by the attached map referenced as
Exhibit G. The Applicant shall strictly adhere to the project area. The
applicant shall use only those generators set forth on the attached map and
shall provide the Executive Director a,description of the location of each
generator, with reverence.to roads, buildings, or other physical landmarks,
and the narne,'mailing address, and telephone number of each generator operator.
Any change in ~ocation or number of generators must be with the approval of
the Executive Director.

3. The selection of suitable cloud systems for seeding operations will
be based on an. evaluation of multiple meteorological and cloud physics para-
meters. It is the understanding that seeding criteria will be adhered to as
set forth in Attachment B.

4. The Applicant shall suspend seeding operations when one or more of
the following occurrences take place: . \

a. When the average snowpack reaches 200 percent of normal snowpack
during the months of November through January.

b. When the average snowpack reaches 175 percent of normal snowpack
during the month of February.

The above suspension levels were recommended by the State Weather
Modification Advisory Committee.

The average snowpack will be calculated by averaging the actual Soil.
Conservation Service snowpack readings for water content from four representa-
tive selec.ted snow sites in the project area. The selected sites shall be
forwarded to the Executive Director immediately, as will monthly reports from
each snow course listing the current snowpack readings. The normal snowpack
will be the average water content of the sndwpack for the past 15 years of
record' for each of the sele.cted snow courses.

5. The Applicant shall also suspend seeding operations where one or
more'of the following occurrences take place:

a. When weather forecasts or actual storms are producing unusually heavy
precipitation amounts that could possibly contribute to avalanches
or severe weather conditions in the project area.

b. Guidance for avalanche & Severe Storm'is set forth in greater detai~
in Attachment C which shall be adhered to by the permittee.

c. When the United States Forest Service Rocky Mountain Avalanche
Forecast Center issues the warning "all travelers should use
extreme caution" in the project area.

d. When the Executive Director specifies that seeding should be suspended.