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<br />, <br /> <br />Introduction <br />Cloud seeding in Utah began in the early 1950's. In 1973 the legislature passed <br />the Utah Cloud Seeding Act and large-scale seeding projects have been ongoing ever <br />since. Currently there are four projects being sponsored. These include the Central and <br />Southern Utah project areas, the Northern Utah project areas, the West Uintas project <br />area, and the High Violas project area. local sponsors run the program and the <br />c10udseeding operations arc contracted out to a weather modification company. The Utah <br />Oivision of Water Resources provides financial assistance 10 the sponsors. <br /> <br />Cloud seeding seems to be a viable way to augment the natural water supply. The <br />purpose of this study is to estimate how much oran increase in runofTshould be expected <br />and hO\.... much it costs per acre-foot of water. The procedures used to make these <br />estimates are: <br />I. Estimate the total average annual runoO' from the areas that are being <br />seeded. <br />2. Estimate the increase in April 1'1 snO\\I water content due to cloud seeding <br />based on target and control analysis. <br />3. Determine the relati<mship (equations) between annual runoITand Aprill~' <br />snO\\I water content for major gaged rivers and streams in the target areas. <br />4. Estimate the increase in average annual runofY due to cloud seeding based <br />on I, 2. and 3 above. <br />5. Compute the estimated cost per acre-foot by dividing the project cost by <br />the increase in average annllal runolY detennined in 4 above. <br /> <br />Cloud Seedin~ Project Areas and Operational Costs <br /> <br />There arc currently four large-scale cloud seeding projects being sponsored, as <br />shown in Figure I. Most of the cloud seeding activity in Utah occurs during the <br />December-t-.tarch period. The storms arc being seeded with ground-based generators <br />using silver iodide. The Northern Utah project. comprised of the West Box Elder and the <br />