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<br />000132 <br /> <br />9. Suspension criteria system. - Research and operational cloud <br />seeding project designs include development of suspension criteria to <br />protect the physical and economic well-being of the people in the <br />project area. Certain weather conditions require suspension of project <br />activity to minimize either actual or apparent contribution by cloud <br />seeding to potentially hazardous situation. Project scientists con- <br />sider the abilility to forecast and avoid hazardous situations to be an <br />important part of the project design development. <br /> <br />Four situations have been identified from past studies as conditions <br />that require attention in preparation of suspension criteria for winter <br />orographic cloud seeding projects. They are: excess snowpack accumu- <br />lation, avalanche conditions, severe storms, and floods. Criteria will <br />be developed for seeding in the CRB that will minimize any chance of <br />increased danger to the public by aggravation of these conditions. <br />These criteria wil,l be developed in consultation with the State of <br />Colorado and interested members of the public in recognition of the <br />States' experience in developing workable suspension criteria for <br />operational cloud seeding programs approved in previous years under the <br />State's Weather Modification Act of 1972 [19]. <br /> <br />This history of development of project suspension criteria also <br />includes consideration of social convenience and customs and economic <br />well-being as well as hazardous situations. For example, during the <br />1970-75 period of the Colorado River Basin Pilot Project, Reclamation <br />suspended its research seeding program in the autumn until after the <br />big-game hunting season so as not to risk causing precipitation <br />increases that might interfere with this annual event. The hunting <br />season on Colorado's western slope merits local and national tourist <br />attention and has significant economic impact in the area. <br /> <br />10. Studies of extra-area effects. - The commitment to address the <br />possible existence of effects beyond the target area, and their con- <br />sequences, is an important component of the CREST concept. The CREST <br />Program Plan delineates this commitment [26]. <br /> <br />The major extra-area effects issue is whether seeding increases, <br />decreases, or has no discernible effect upon snowfall in the regions <br />beyond the project areas. The regions of concern will be the lee slope <br />of the mountain ranges targeted for cloud seeding and the crests of <br />the next major ranges downwind. If effects cannot be found in the <br />latter areas, a search for them at a greater distance is likely to be <br />fruitless. <br /> <br />A second issue is whether seeding in the Rocky Mountains may affect the <br />vigor or life-span of storm systems as they pass beyond the project <br />areas and move into the lee of the Rockies, a region known as the <br />birthplace of new storms and a place where weak storms are likely to <br />find new strength. Klazura notes that when snow is occurring over the <br />main massif of the rockies, the Great Plains to the east normally are <br />not experiencing precipitation and may have clear skies, in fact. <br />However, when the low-pressure center passes onto the Plains the storm <br /> <br />35 <br />