BOARD02403

• Board Meeting Date: 11/16/2004
• Description: CF Section - Non-Reimbursable Investments - State Assistance to Water Providers for Snowpack Augmentation through Weather Modification
• 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 80Z03
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
www.cwcb.state.co.us

MEMORANDUM

Bill Owens
Governor

TO:
FROM:

Colorado Water Conservation Board - Finance Committee
Joe Busto, Flood Protection & Weather Modification Permitting Program
Larry Lang, Chief - Flood Protection Program
November 4, 2004
Agenda Item 15.f. Non-Reimbursable Investments
State Assistance to Water Providers for Snowpack Augmentation
through Weather Modification

Dan McAuliffe
Deputy Director

Russell Walcher
Executive Director

DATE:
RE:

Rod Kuharich
CWCB Director

Introduction
In response to the drought years of 2000-2003 many new wintertime weather modification programs were developed
in the South Platte, Gunnison, Arkansas and Southwestern watersheds. These programs are predominantly funded by
water entities with interest in augmenting snowpack to help fill reservoirs and enhance stream flow. This program
need is similar to all tbe new program needs developing in other arid western states.

Discussion
The CWCB staff is attempting to develop the state's weather modification program through providing state funding for
cost share of operations and applying for federal funding for scientific studies on behalf of the water users. Texas,
Oklahoma, Kansas, Utah, Nevada, South Dakota, North Dakota, New Mexico, California, Idaho all provide state funding
to assist with weather modification. An attachment to this memo is a graphic showing coutinuous state grant funds for
cloud seeding in Utah since 1974. This is accomplished through the Utah Division of Water Resources Revolving Loan
Fund and a related paper demonstrated the ability of water users to keep programs going for decades with some state
assistance. It has been estimated by members of the North American Interstate Weather Modification Council that $15
million is spent annually in the U.s. and approximately $1.3 million of that estimate is Colorado water users funding
winter time weather modification programs. Local Water Uses have requested and supported the concept of "state cost
share for weather modification". Letters of support/requests are attached from: Gunnison County, Upper Arkansas
Water Conservancy District, San Juan Water Conservancy District, Dolores Water Conservancy District, Pagosa Area
Water and Sanitation District, Overland Ditch Company. Southwestern Water Conservation District, Southeastern
Colorado Water Conservancy District and the Crawford Water Conservancy District. At the Finance Committee
workshop, Grand Junction September 2003, former Chair Eric Wilkinson endorsed the previous request for $20,000
from the Construction Fund and requested staff to consider making Stream restoration and weather modification grants
annual requests.

Staff Request
Staff requests the board to approve $60,000 in cost share non-reimbursable investments to water entities that fund
cloud seeding programs in Colorado. The Upper San Miguel Basin Program is partially funded by Telluride but the
San Juan Water Conservancy District and the Southwestern Water Conservation District made a formal request to
be considered for state funding due to water user support in that project. A small portion of the funds ($5,000) will
be used by the CWCB for administration of the Weather Modification Permitting Program and the remainder of the
funds will be divided equitably

Staff Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Board request that the General assembly authorize $60,000 from the Construction Fund
to be appropriated to the CWCB Weather Modification Permitting Program to be used for non-reimbursable
investments to water providers sponsoring winter time weather modification programs.

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