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<br />000122 <br /> <br />Notwithstanding a great deal of debate, the question of whether water <br />is a primary cause or,concomitant of growth is not settled. It appears <br />to rank as a "chicken-or-the-egg" issue. <br /> <br />"Population in urban areas of the West is increasing more <br />rapidly than in agricultural areas. In regions of water <br />importation, such as central Arizona, population growth has <br />affected the development of water-supply systems, but there <br />is no substantial indication that water availability has <br />had any effect on limiting urban population growth. <br />Municipal water supply has in some instances been obtained <br />by purchase of water rights previously used for agricul- <br />ture. As long as the present pattern of development <br />continues, precipitation management wjll have no foresee- <br />able effect on urban population growth. <br /> <br />"What will eventually limit urban population growth is not <br />foreseen at this time with sufficient clarity to identify <br />the potential role of precipitation management as a deter- <br />minant of ultimate population levels. There is no present <br />indication that it will playa large role." [1, p. 3-75J <br /> <br />5. Impacts of seeding agents. - The question of the impacts of cloud <br />seeding agents, particularly silver iodide, on the environment has been <br />a matter of public interest and scientific concern throughout the <br />Project Skywater program. Even though it is not believed that the <br />amounts of silver iodide released into the atmosphere during cloud <br />seeding activities are sufficient to result in either a significant or <br />adverse environmental effect, monitoring for silver will be included in <br />the project's overall monitoring program. Due to the high degree of <br />interest in this particular subject, the analysis of the impacts of <br />seeding agents from the Sierra Cooperative Pilot Project Environmental <br />Assessment [12, p. 107J is included at this point. <br /> <br />"Alternative seeding agents that may be used in the SCPP <br />are dry ice and silver iodide, both of which are released <br />into clouds from aircraft. Silver iodide may also be <br />dispersed from ground-based generators if atmospheric <br />conditions are appropriate. <br /> <br />"Appendix 8 - Seeding Agents of the Skywater programmatic <br />Final Environmental Statement provided a detailed analysis <br />of the environmental analyses conducted to determine the <br />effects of silver iodide as a cloud seeding agent. The <br />Programmatic Statement was widely distributed to Government <br />agencies, public libraries, and the general public in 1977, <br />and Appendix 8 of that Statement is hereby incorporated by <br />reference into this Assessment. <br /> <br />"Dry ice is <br />atmosphere. <br />mates; that <br /> <br />solid carbon dioxide, condensed from the <br />When it is released into clouds, it subli- <br />is, it changes from the solid state back to a <br /> <br />25 <br /> <br />