WMOD00176

• Project Name: Annual Report
• Title: Seeding Operations & Atmospheric Research, 2005 Annual Report
• Prepared By: Duncan Axisia
• Date: 12/31/2005
• Weather Modification - Doc Type: Report

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County is induded in the target area to allow
for the operations to be conducted on suitable
douds that so often move from west to east
into Texas. This precipitation enhancement
program, former1y known as Southern Ogallala
Aquifer Rainfall program, is now called the
Southern Ogallala Weather Modification
Program.

Senate Bill 1175 passed in the 77th Regular
Session of the Texas Legislature. became
effective September 1, 2001. and set up the
process where participants in precipitation
enhancement could receive their permit and
license from the Texas Department of
licensing and Regulation (TDLR) and funding
from the Texas Department of Agriculture
(TDA). This funding was provided by the
legislature in recognition of the need for
additional measures to the conservation efforts
being addressed in our state,

In the 78th Regular Session of the Texas
Legislature Senate Bill 1700 was passed and
became law on September 1. 2003, Now. all
functions and involvement by the state of
Texas. in regards to Weather
Modification. is under the authority of the Texas
Department of Licensing and Regulation
(TDLR). Due to budget deficits there will be no
cost sharing by the state in the future although
all current programs will be allowed to use the
state budgeted funds that were unspent from
previous budgets.

Seeding Operations & Atmospheric Research
(SOAR) is a group of scientists and operators
that conduct weather modification operations
within the Southern Ogallala target Most
recently. SOAR has expanded its program into
the area of weather modification research to
utilize funds that were available through the U.
S, Bureau of Reclamation, the Natior\al
Science Foundation and state government. In
2004 and 2005. SOAR has conducted four
field research protects.

Ucensing and regulation of the
Southern Ogallala program

The Texas Department of Licensing and
Regulation (TDLR) Weather Modification
program administers grants to political

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subdivisions that sponsor rain-enhancement
activities. Currently, cloud-seeding projects are
being conducted in some 44 million acres of
the state of Texas (or nearly 30 percent of the
stale's land area). The State grants help pay
for these seeding operations. reimbursing
waler-canservation districts. county
commissions. and other political subdivisions
for up to 50 percent of the costs to conduct
them. In addition. in administering the Texas
Weather Modification Act (enacted in 1967).
the program issues licenses and permits to
organizations and individuals responsible for
carrying out both cloud seeding and other
weather modification operations.

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Figure 4' Cloud seeding programs in Texas. The red
circle identifies the SoJthem Ogallala program.

Southern Ogallala weather modification
operations are carried out in both an
operational area and a target area. to cause
the intended effects to occur only in the target
area The operational area as listed in the
Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
(TDLR) Weather Modification Permit (January
31,2002) is considered to be within fifteen (15)
statute mites of the target area boundary_ The
area to be affected by the proposed weather
modification operation is the target area. The
target area is that area contained within the
following counties: Gaines. Terry. and
Yoakum. The New Mexico Interstate Stream
Commission has also issued SOAR with a
license for seeding operations to be conducted
in parts of Roosevelt and Lea Counties within a

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