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<br />000120 <br /> <br />spread and prolonged application of precipitation management have been <br />studied. Analysis has included studies of the effects of increased <br />. runoff on water temperature, the physical state of the streambed as it <br />may affect spawning and egg hatch, food supply for the fry, and the <br />possible effect of cloud seeding agents on water quality. Other <br />factors were considered as too far removed in their connection with <br />precipitation management and too disturbed by other cipitation manage- <br />ment and too disturbed by other variables for meaningful analysis. The <br />Skywater Programmatic FES discussion about effects on aquatic ecosys- <br />tems and the more recent Sierra Ecology Project report on the workshop <br />on lake and stream biota [21J are incorporated into this document by <br />reference. <br /> <br />Investigations to date [12] conclude precipitation increases do not <br />significantly and/or' adversely affect endangered and threatened species <br />of animals and plants and their habitats. Future site-specific lnves- <br />tigations would include studies of likely effects that may occur if <br />such species are found in the proposed demonstration areas. This <br />process involves consultation with the Fish and Wildlife Service and <br />State fish and game officials. <br /> <br />4. Impacts on the human environment. - Increases in precipitation <br />between 10 and 15 percent per annum are not expected to generate new or <br />incremental population increases above those estimated in existing <br />development scenarios for the CRB. The two most commonly perceived <br />driving forces for population growth in the Basin are the sunbe1t <br />phenomenon and development of coal and oil shale resources. Various <br />studies of future resource requirements in the Basin present the <br />prospect of water shortages ranging from as early as 1990 to 2010 or <br />2020. Augmentation of the Basin's water supply will be required by <br />cloud seeding or other means if this need is to be met. If additional <br />water is not provided, the sector most capable of paying in the market- <br />place will outbid other sectors for a relatively diminishing supply of <br />water. The agricultural sector will lose its water to the mineral/ <br />energy development sector. Municipalities and residents will face <br />rapidly increasing cost for new water supplies. <br /> <br />Economic benefits were determined in 1982 using the most conservative <br />estimates of water supply increases from cloud seeding (1,432,000 <br />acre-feet) within the Upper Basin as input to Reclamation's Colorado <br />River Simulation System model. The results showed cloud seeding would <br />produce estimated economic benefits of at least $123.4 million annually <br />from the following sources: $34.4 million from increased hydroelectric <br />capacity and power generation based on coal replacement cost at 20 <br />mills per kilowatt-hour, $56.5 million from salinity reducton using an <br />average value of $513,000 for each milligram per liter reduction in <br />dissolved solids at Imperial Dam, and $32.5 million from additional <br />water supplies to reduce deficits and for new uses. <br /> <br />Additional benefits of $16.0 million would be realized from the <br />increased water supplies in the adjacent basins ($30 per acre-foot). <br />The total benefits of an operational program are, therefore, estimated <br />to be $139.4 million per year. <br /> <br />23 <br />