WMOD00199

• Contract/Permit #: #98-1
• Applicant: Western Kansas Groundwater Moanagement
• Project Name: Western Kansas Weather Modfication Program
• Date: 1/1/2001
• Weather Modification - Doc Type: Application

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Colorado Water Conservation Board

Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman Street/ Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
www.c:wcb.state.co.us

STATE OF COLORl\DO

Q

Bill Owens
Covernor
Greg E. Walcher
Executive Director
Rod Kuharich
CWCB Director
Dan McAuliffe
Deputy Director

MEMORANDUM

TO:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
DATE:

Rod Kuharich, Director . 6 I
WilliamP. Stanton, P.E. ~I
Request for Change in Weather Modification Permit 98-1
July 16, 2001

Introduction

This memo considers a request from Mr. Keith Lebben of the Western Kansas
Groundwater Management District No.1 to change the operating plan of their permit for 2001
and 2002.

Background

In 1998, the CWCB received an application for a weather modification permit from the
Western Kansas Groundwater Management District (WKGMD) No.4 of Colby, Kansas, for
comniercial cloud seeding operations to suppress hail in parts ofYurna, Kit Carson, and
Cheyenne Counties. The target area includes the fIrst full township on the eastern edge of the
above counties from approximately the town ofWray to the southern border of Cheyenne
County.

As part of the application, WKGMD No.4 intended to rely on the aircraft and personnel
ofWKGMD No.1 of Scott City, Kansas, to actually operate and manage the program outofa
satellite operations center at Colby, Kansas. The effort was a no cost demonstration project for
Colorado counties and gave the cloud seeders more lead time to effect hail producing storms
moving across the state line from west to east. WKGMD No.1 has operated a hail suppression
program in southwestern Kansas for over 25 years.

Subsequently Colorado Weather ModifIcation Permit No. 98-1 was issued to the
WKGWMD No. Ion April 24, 1998. District No.1 was permitted to operate in the above
Colorado counties from April 22 through September 21 for 5 years with the permit to expire on
September 21, 2002. The exact target area changes each year depending on which counties
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Flood Protection. Water Project Planning and Financing. Stream and lake Protection
W.:l.tf'f SUDolv Protection. Conservation Planning: