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<br />.' <br /> <br />the part ofthe Lower Basin states in anticipation of a broader pact affecting use of Colomdo <br />River water. <br /> <br />The larger agreement, still unsigned, is a proposal by seven states to Interior SecretarY Gail <br />Norton concerning how to manage Colomdo River water in periods of drought and how water in <br />Lake Powell and Lake Mead is to be released to downstream states. Under a 1922 ngreem""t, the <br />water-source states of Co lorn do, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming agreed to supply Arizona, <br />Nevada and California with a certain amount of Co 10m do River water annually. As Western <br />population increased, the demand for water and - at times a shortage of water - has resulted in <br />hard feelings and hard negotiations. <br /> <br />Under the agreement approved Wednesday by the Southwestem Water Conservation District, the <br />three Lower Basin groups would pay $15,000 each for cloud seeding and yet-undetermined <br />conservations efforts carried out by Durango-based Western Weather Consultants. <br /> <br />Spear said part of the proposed agreement before Norton on how to manage Colomdo River water <br />calls for Lower Basin states to conserve water and augment water supply through cloud seeding. <br /> <br />· Wyoming starts cloud seeding; Wyoming's $8.8 million effort to determine whether cloud <br />seeding will provide more water is under way. The first minor airborne seeding of clouds over the <br />Medicine Bow Range took place at the end of February. Although the main thrust of Wyoming's <br />effort right now are through NEP A to site generators on public lands and get special use permits <br />from the Forest Service this is encouraging. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />New MexIco's WM proposal unfunded: New Mexico's $J.4 million cloud seeding <br />demonstration project was not approved by the New Mexico State Legislature during the short <br />30-day session. There were many bills presented to take advantage of a record budget surplus, but <br />even the Governor did not get all of his priority Bills passed. Work will continue in order to <br />generate additional support for cloud seeding operations in this area. <br /> <br />Southern Colorado Farms Hall Cannon Report: Hail cannons are a controversial form of <br />weather modification. The cause and effect relationship between sound waves disrupting cloud <br />processes and inhibiting the hail process <br />has never been well documented. <br />Nonetheless they are liked by those trying <br />to protect infrastructure such as high value <br />crops (e.g. lettuce and fruit) and recently <br />even rental car and car dealers in known <br />hail problem areas are installing hail <br />cannons. This technology is used <br />operationally in the San Luis Valley and <br />in Weld County and in other western <br />states. Hail cannons ignite a charge of <br />acetylene gas in a specially designed blast <br />chamber releasing an explosive pressure <br />wave creating a cavitation effect which <br />disrupts the fonnation process of the hail <br />stone embryo. Hail Cannons are a permitted form of weather modification through the CWCB <br />WM permit program. Attached to the director's report is the operational report cover letter from <br />Mike Jones of Southern Colomdo Farms in Center, Colorado. Staff thought board members <br />would find it interesting that this is technology now more than ever being regarded as a weather <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br /> <br />Hail Cannon in Center, Colorado <br /> <br />37 <br />