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<br />, <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />003353 <br /> <br />Colorado Weather Modification Program and separately as part of the <br /> <br />CSU NSF funded research. <br /> <br />A second method being used to monitor the transport of silver <br /> <br />iodide involves the collection of snow samples at 26 sites <br /> <br />for subsequent chemical analyses at CSU. These sites have been <br /> <br />established throughout the state for the routine collection of snow <br /> <br /> <br />samples. Two of the sites are in adjacent states to aid in making <br /> <br /> <br />comparisons between seeded areas and non-seeded areas. Both the ice <br /> <br /> <br />nuclei observations and the snow samples will be analyzed in the <br /> <br />coming months as all of the observational data and full information <br /> <br />on the seeding becomes available. <br /> <br />What Safeguards are Provided? <br /> <br />The licensed operators of the weather modification companies <br /> <br />carefully consider defined safeguard criteria before any cloud seeding <br /> <br />operation is undertaken. One of the safeguard criteria relates to the <br /> <br />avalanche threat, When the U.S. Forest Service Rocky Mountain Avalanche <br /> <br />Forecast Center posts an avalanche warning to "all mountain travelers" <br /> <br />in certain parts of the state, no cloud seeding operations are undertaken <br /> <br /> <br />in those areas while the warning is in effect. If the forecast is <br /> <br /> <br />limited to the back country or primarily directed to cross-country skiers, <br /> <br /> <br />operations may still be conducted but are monitored closely. <br /> <br />Another safeguard criteria relates to the possibility of the excessive <br /> <br />snowpack that might cause unusual difficulty or unacceptably high stream- <br /> <br />flow next spring. General criteria for this type of seeding suspension <br /> <br />are 200% of normal during January (this represents a little over 100% of <br /> <br />8 <br />