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002543 SECTION III. HIGH PLAINS COOPERATIVE PROGRAM Project Summary Early in 1973, the Office of Management and Budget asked Project Skywater to plan and direct HIPLEX (High Plains Cooperative Program). HIPLEX is an extensive research project to develop cloud seeding technology capable of increasing useful summer rainfall over the semiarid High Plains - a technology that must be both economically feasible and socially and environmentally acceptable. Reclamation has primary responsibility for meteorological technology development, including testing cloud seeding hypotheses, developing seeding systems, and verifying the results of seeding. The primary goal of HIPLEX is the reduction of crucial scientific uncertainties about natural cloud and precipitation processes and about the altera- tions in cloud structure and precipitation that occur when summer convective clouds are seeded in a prescribed manner. State and local agencies in the High Plains accepted primary responsibility for the important nonmeteorological technology development, including the social and environmental aspects and a careful assessment of the economic value of additional rainfall. t [ I HIPLEX is being carried out according to a general design document that outlines a four-phase program. The phase 1 background studies developed the data base and knowledge of cloud and mesoscale systems as a base for the specific experimental design of subsequent phases. The phase 2 single cloud rain modification experiment consists of preparations for and execution of a series of exploratory experiments to establish the physical basis for augmenting precipitation from convective clouds. In phase 3 the area rain modification experiment applies the techniques developed under phase 2 in an experiment for augmenting beneficial precipitation over an area of several thousand square kilometers. Phase 4 is the transfer of the developed technol- ogy to other areas and other users within the High Plains. The HIPLEX experimental design is evolving from previous atmospheric research experiences of Project Skywater, other Government agencies, academic institutions, and the private meteorological community. Scientists from across the Nation contribute their knowledge to a team effort. They meet frequently to discuss issues, resolve prob- lems, and develop new procedures. The experimental design is delib- erately flexible to permit innovations and addition of state-of-the- art knowledge. Experience of the last three decades indicates that principal precip- itation mechanisms differ from region to region within the High Plains and that no one site would be representative of the entire , 111-1