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<br /> <br />.,...., <br /> <br />BEST COP" <br /> <br />Meteorological Feasibility Assessment of Cloud Seeding Potential <br />for Snowpack Augmentation in the Higher Elevations of <br />Gunnison County, Colorado <br /> <br />1.0 Introduction <br /> <br />North American Weather Consultants, Inc. (NA We) was contracted by Gunnison <br />County Colorado to prepare a cloud seeding feasibility assessment for a winter snowpack <br />augme~tation project in the higher elevations of Gunnison County. This report has been prepared <br />fulfilling the requirements of ~his contract. <br /> <br />..'2.0 Climatological Precipitation Information <br /> <br />The Natural Resources Conservation Service (formerly the Soil Conservation Service) <br />has been responsible for the collection and publication of precipitation information throughout <br />the mountainous areas of the western United States. Early observations during the winter time <br />have included monthly manual measurements of snow water content and depth at selected <br />ocations cornrnonly referred to as snow surveys. In more recent years (beginning in the 1980's), <br />automated system known as Snotel has been implemented. This system provides multiple <br />.. dings of snoW water content and prec.ipitation on a daily basis. NA ~~ r~viewed the available <br />ta for Gunnison County. Table I proVides the average monthly preCipItatIOn amounts (October <br />ough April) for four upper elevation sites in Gunnison County. Table 2 provides the average <br />ulative snowpack water content for the same sites for the October through April period. The <br />.IDonth period of November through April appears to offer a period worthy of further analysis <br />cerning winter orographic( caused by mountains) cloud seeding potential. October is a <br />. ition month with limited snowpack accumulation in the mountains of Colorado plus <br />'vely warm temperatures which limits the cloud seeding potential as will be discussed in a <br />ection. <br /> <br />Table 1 Average Monthly Precipitation (inches) <br /> <br />OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR <br />1.8 2.7 4.1 2.9 2.7 3.4 2.6 <br />3.4 2.7 3.3 3.0 2.8 3.9 2.9 <br />3.4 3.2 4.2 3.2 3.4 4.2 4.3 <br />4.2 5.6 4.4 4.5 7.7 6.0 4.7 <br /> <br />2 <br />