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<br />00343B <br /> <br />EXEOJI'IVE SlMlARY <br /> <br />Purpose <br /> <br />The Weather ~ification Program of the Colorado Department of Natural <br />Resources conducted this study to compare the potential of cloud seeding to <br />enhance mountain snowpack in Colorado during dry, normal and wet winters. <br />The study was undertaken to help decide when seeding could be roost effective <br />in augmenting Colorado's water supply. Its objective was to determine if, <br />as some scientists have speculated, fewer seedable storms and lower <br />percentage increases in snowpack are expected during dry winters than during <br />winters of average or above average precipitation. Assessment of the <br />relative effectiveness of seeding in dry and wet winters was desirable <br />because it is anticipated that seeding will be proposed as a method of <br />increasing roountain snowpack during future drought. <br /> <br />The study was funded by the Southwest Drought Research Program, Bureau of <br />Reclamation, Department of the Interior, a program of technical and <br />socioeconomic research pertinent to. the future use of cloud seeding for <br />drought relief in Colorado, Arizona, Utah, Oklahoma and Texas. <br /> <br />. Drought in Colorado <br /> <br />o Severe drought in the mountains of Colorado during the winters of 1976-77 <br />and 198D-81 caused revenues at ski areas to decline dramatically and the <br />agricultural conrnunity to incur economic loss. <br /> <br />o In response to the dry conditions, local water-user agencies, the state <br />legiSlature and the u.s. Bureau of Reclamation sponsored major efforts to <br />increase roountain snowpack by seeding in the spring of 1977 and the <br />winter of 1977-78. Seeding, funded by ski areas, water-users, and local <br />governments and businesses, has been conducted each winter since then. <br />When unusually dry conditions returned to the roountains in 1980-81, <br />interest in Seeding increased. The state did not sponsor seeding at this <br />time, however, because of doubts about the effectiveness of seeding <br />during dry periods and the inability to evaluate short-term programs <br /> <br />adequately. <br /> <br />1 <br />