BOARD00272

• Board Meeting Date: 7/28/2003
• Description: Flood Section - Weather Modification Program
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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STATE OF COLORADO

Colorado Water Conservation Board

Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman Street, Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
www.cwcb.stare.cQ.us

TO:
FROM:

MEMORANDUM

Colorado Water Conservation Board Members
Larry Lang, Chief, Flood Protection Section
Joe Busto, Flood ProtectionIW eather Modification Permitting
Thursday, July 17, 2003
Agenda Item 9
Wintertime Weather Modification Program 2002-03 and 2004

Dan McAuliffe
Deputy Director

Bill Owens
Governor

Greg E. Walcher
Executive Director

DATE:
RE:

Rod Kuharich
CWCB Director

Introduction
Colorado has had a weather modification permit program since 1972. The Flood Protection section has been
administering the program since 200 I, In May 200 I a hail suppression permit was granted for Southern
Colorado Farms in Saguache County,

In 2002, the active permits doubled from four to seven for ground based precipitation enhancement programs,
Existing wintertime permits in 2002 were for Grand Mesa, VaillBeaver Creek, Western San Juan Mountains and
Telluride/San Miguel Drainage. In response to water deficits from the continued drought of 2002 new programs
were created for the Central Rockies (Denver Water and Upper Arkansas WCD, Eastern San Juan Mountains
(Southwestern Colorado WCD, San Juan WCD), Gunnison County (Gunnison County, Crested Butte,
agricultural users, etc.) and a permit was renewed for Telluride/San Miguel Basin (Town of Telluride, San Juan
WCD, Southwestern Colorado WCD), The current wintertime cloud seeding operators in Colorado are Larry
Hjermstad of Western Weather Consultants, Inc, of Durango; Don Griffith of North American Weather
Consultants, Inc. of Sandy Utah, and Pete Kasper of the Colorado River District Board,

With the new programs approximately 25 percent of Colorado's snowfields are now in target areas for cloud
seeding programs, In a recent phone conversation with Dave Mathews (Bureau's River Systems and
Meteorology Group), he thought there was potential for future programs and thought a significant increase in of
water could be generated annually from the development of effectively placed ground based operational
programs in Colorado.

In 2002-2003 the board conducted four hearings in Silverthorne, Pagosa Springs, Telluride, and Gunnison. The
board permitted four new programs including the Central Rockies Program, Eastern San Juan Mountains,
Telluride Ski Resort areas, and Gunnison County, Staff anticipates another new application and hearing this fall
for a program that will include the southwestern part of Gunnison County that may include parts of Montrose and
Ouray counties also.

Actions
. The staff has prepared a draft annual report on wintertime operations
. The staff has requested and received operational reports from all operators
· The staff is contracting with the Avalanche Center for notification of danger/warnings in the target areas,
. The staff is evaluating the operational reports for compliance
. Presentations will be made by Larry Hjermstad - Western Weather Consultants, Don Griffith - North
American Weather Consultants and John Devore - Gunnison County Manager at this July 28-30 Pagosa
Springs Board meeting,

Colorado Water Conservation Board
Flood Protection. Water Supply Planning and Finance. Stream and Lake Protection
Water Supply Protection. Conservation and Drought Planning