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<br />OOtHH 7 <br /> <br />Cooper et al. (1974:59) claim that snow augmentation would <br />increase removal costs in the Sierra Nevada. They indicate that the <br />amount of the increase, however, would depend on the nature of <br />augmentation. "The adverse effects . . . would be greatly reduced if <br />seeding resulted in increased intensity of snowfall instead of duration" <br />(1974:60). By way of example, they point out that plowing II inches of <br />snow instead of 10 inches would make IlUJCh less difference than operating <br />plows for II hours instead of 10. <br /> <br />tmfortunately, scientists do not know yet if seeding causes storms <br />of greater intensity, or greater duration, or both. Colorado State <br />Uliversity researchers have interpreted findings l:!{ Chappell et al. <br />(1971) to suggest that the main effect of seeding is to extend the <br />perioc1 of precipitation (Mielke et al., 1981:647), but investigation of <br />this important question continues. An answer to it must be found before <br />added costs of snow removal can be determined definitively. <br /> <br />Harris (1981:98), in his assessment of environmental impacts of <br />the Sierra O:loperative pilot Project, states that increased snowpack <br />could affect snow removal in comnunities located more than 6000 feet <br />above sea level. He does not discuss the extent of this effect but <br />indicates that it would depend on the efficiency and adequacy of snow <br />removal operations. <br /> <br />'!he California Department of Transportation reports that "recorded <br />data do not provide us with the refinement necessary to analyze costs <br />involved in snow removal for a small incremental increase in <br />precipitation" (Harris, 1981:99). '!he Department indicates, however, <br />that small increases in snowfall would result in little additional cost, <br />because the men and equipnent used to remove the extra snow are alre,ady <br />necessary for basic winter highway maintenance. The Department also <br />states that wind and ice close roads more often than snow does. <br /> <br />-4- <br />