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<br />, <br /> <br />.. <br />. <br /> <br /> <br />0023:):1 <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />DEMONSTRATING WATER AUGMENTATION IN <br />COLORADO RIVER AND ADJOINING BASINS <br />BY WEATHEll HQDIFICATION <br /> <br />A~ <br /> <br />--, <br />.... <br /> <br />* * * * * . * * * * * * * * . * * * * . * . . . . . * . . . * * * <br /> <br />Section I Problem - InaJequacy of Natural Water Supplies In the <br />Colorado River Reaian to Meet All Demands. <br /> <br />The Rrowing need for water from the Colorado River Basin Is now <br />atrainln~ the available supply and soon will far exceed the river's <br />natural flow. The increasing demands are associated with ea) compre- <br />hensive energy development, (b) problems meeting Mexican Treaty <br />obligations, and (e) salinity and other envIronmental problems. <br />These demands cannot be adequately met without drawing away 8ub- <br />9tantial quantities of water already committed for agricultural <br />and urban development, such as the Central Arizona Project. <br /> <br />Even with comprehensive planning and strict management, the antici- <br />pated natural .upply cannot be ~tretched to meet all needs during <br />the next decade. ''The cold fact remains that eventually the water <br />supply to the Central Arizona Project *** will be reduced to less th,n <br />300.000 acre. feet annually unless augmentation becomes a reality."l <br /> <br />The current water proble~ in the Colorado basin stem from two facts: <br /> <br />(1) Natural precipitation does not yield enough water to <br />meet expected demand. <br /> <br />(2) The Colorado River Compact apportions more water than <br />is available. <br /> <br />Using cloud seeding to increase snowfall in the high mountains will <br />increase water supplies. It h the least costly and most flexible <br />means of augmentation. It does not take ~ater from other area. or <br /> <br />11 Report No. 1661. House. 90th Congress, 2nd Ses.ion, page 21. <br />