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00272~ D. Discussion of the Strategies to Obtain Appropriations for the Cooperative Demonstration Project 1. Local District Viewpoint - Bob Tyner, Southwestern \oIater Conservation District of Colorado We got involved in weather modification in 1970 when Ouray, Silverton, Telluride, and Lake City contacted Dr. Kahan about the San Juan project. We then realized that people problems were more difficult to solve than technical problems in weather modification. The San Juan plan was altered to take ava- lanche danger into account and to take those communities out of the target area. People must be considered in anything we do. Weather modification is the cheapest way to do what needs doing. It costs less than importation or other exotic schemes. I am convinced the Colorado River is truly a bankrupt stream. The only question is when the crunch will COme. It is estimated to be about 15 years from now. The Bureau of Reclama- tion's proposal is very appropriate. \ole must iron out both technical and public relations problems to be prepared to put a fully operational program into effect when that time comes rather than be caught flat-footed then. Our group, IvaI Goslin, and Tommy Thompson from Southeast \oIater Conservancy District met with representatives from Oklahoma and other Basin States to implement a write- in in case the Bureau's usual budget process is unsuccessful in getting the necessary funds. It may be simpler to do a write-in for the total amount rather than organize cost sharing arrangements with the States. If we can get the Bureau's program funded we could avoid crossing some bridges like ownership of water. It is better to leave it as the Law of the River than try to identify and claim the water produced by cloud-seeding. There is the possibility of some funding organization, for example, a joint effort by the seven Colorado Basin States. There would be a token cost, a fraction of a mill, for the total program. If it can be handled by the Law of the River, everyone would benefit. There are avalanche problems, especially in the four communities mentioned. Lew Grant has said that you can spend a large amount of money trying to solve the avalanche problem and still have a lot of cheap water. \ole sho~ld make a concentrated effort to solve these people problems. Valantine: Question on funding with cost sharing by the States: Is it required before the project can commence? Tyner: I hope there would be no need for that, but we must assist in write-ins. Weisbecker: We still need 22 t , r , [ , , \ i I