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<br />003GJC. <br /> <br />The Task Committee concluded that it would recommend that PSIAC <br />authorize its members and alternates to present such statements at <br />public meet,ings. <br /> <br />Stender said that the states should not feel that they have been <br />unsuccessful in being unable to get the subject of water yield improle- <br />ment listed as a class one issue. He said that two to three years ago, <br />the regional staff was not considering water yield improvement at all; <br />now, as a result of the efforts of the Colorado River Board and PSIAC, <br />it is included in the Forest Service plans, and is being actively <br />considered. <br /> <br />Larry Schmidt commented on work in the Southwest Region of the <br />U.S. Forest Service. He stated that the region COvers all of Arizona <br />and New Mexico, and about half of the region drains into the lower <br />Colorado River. He stated that they are including water yield improve- <br />ment as an issue in their original plans, but probably will not be able <br />to do more than contribute about between four and seven percent of <br />increased runoff as a result of their activities. Even this level would <br />require an all out effort in order to accomplish that level of increase <br />in runoff. <br /> <br />Schmidt stated that the Forest Service's current policy is that <br />water yield by itself cannot pay its costs; thus, any efforts will come <br />about principally as a by-product from other activities in the National <br />Forest such as timber harvesting. <br /> <br />This statement was discussed, and the Task Committee emphasized <br />that PSIAC wishes the Forest Service to look at all measures to increase <br />runoff, not just those that are predicated on historic programs of the <br />Forest Service. For example, in Ron Hibbert's reconnaissance report on <br />Water Yield Improvement through Vegetation Management in the Colorado <br />River Basin in 1979, several non-historic approaches were listed that <br />would contribute substantially to increased runoff on Forest Service <br />lands. These included such measures as the construction of snow fences <br />and the conversion of one type of vegetative cover to another type (such <br />as aspen to pine and chaparral to grass) and that PSIAC expects that <br />these be identified as possibilities in the regional and forest plans. <br />The Forest Service representatives stated they recognized this point, <br />but that it should also be mentioned in letters of comment on the regional <br />plans. . <br /> <br />Olin Foehner of the Office of Atmospheric Resources Research of <br />the Bureau of Reclamation, reported on the Colorado River Weather Modifi- <br />cation Demonstration Program. He stated that the Secretarial Issues <br />Document on this program is still before Secretary Watt for decision, <br />and that a decision has not yet been made thereon. He stated that, in <br />the absence of a decision on the Secretarial Issues Document, the Office <br />has received approval for a budget of $650,000 in Fiscal Year 1982 for <br />the program. With these funds, the Bureau will be buying special pieces <br />of' equipment such as $200,000 for a scanning radiameter that measures <br /> <br />-3- <br /> <br />B-14 <br />