WMOD00221

• Contract/Permit #: #2001-2
• Applicant: Southern Colorado Farms
• Project Name: Southern Colorado Farms
• Date: 6/15/2001
• Weather Modification - Doc Type: Application

while in the formative stage. The cannon hand book is attached hereto, and is, for
identifications purposes marked exhibit "A"; the times
of operation will be determined by visual observation of the operators, It is the intent
of the operators to commence the operation of the hail cannon some 10 minutes
before the expected arrival ofthe potential cloud over the protected area and to
continue its operation until the suspect cloud has left the protected area. The
implementation ofthe device is a judgmental decision, arrived at by watching the
progress of the cloud thereby,
determining its approximate speed to have a minimum of 10 minutes prior to its
arrival for activation, The time interval is largely determined by the upper level wind
velocity, It is to be noted that the operator implementing the hail machine probably
will have some 15 minutes to I hour to view the suspect clouds, their formation and
to view its movement and speed toward the proteCted area, the longer tlie time of
observation the more exact the operator will become in implementing the hail
--------n---canrlon,loaCliieve111s operatlOnOfthe machine TO mmutes pnoftolts-arrival at the
protected area, The termination of the operation of the hail cannon would be
immediately upon the departure of the cloud from the protected area. The termination
of the operation of the hail cannon would be immediately upon the departure ofthe
cloud from the protected area. The time of operation throughout the year we estimate
to be an average of20 occurrences each and having a duration of 60 minutes for each
activation. As noted this is our estimation of the average in a particularly humid
summer we might see more instances of activation than the average and in a less than
humid summer considerable less number of activations,

4&5.

The economic benefit provided by the hail cannon is to reduce the incidences of hail
falling upon the growing crops within the protected area, The primary areas of
protection by the hail cannon are for 1. Spinach, 2. Lettuce,.JIlld 3. Potatoes, crops
being effected the most by untimely falling of hailstones. The degree of damage by
hail is in that order.

The method employed is a science that has been known for several years and has
been used successfully in the growing areas in New Zealand, The applicant has
traveled to areas in New Zealand and has spent a great deal of time in researching the
efficiency of this device for the protection of crops and is now satisfied that this is an
effective method of controlling incidences of hail upon the applicants crops,

The project is economically beneficial in that it will permit the applicant to market his
crops without having hail damage upon them,

In the field of marketing spinach. Colorado's reputation in the spinach producing area
is being seriously damaged by the incidence of hail and the devastating damage done
to spinach as a result of the hail to the extent that purchasers of spinach are seriously
researching other areas for sourcing their spinach needs rather than relying upon
Colorado. Colorado has failed to provide a dependable source of supply over the past