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<br />00094."1 <br /> <br />The concept of using weather modification to enhance natural water <br /> <br /> <br />supplies is not new. A 1950 report of the Presidentis Water Resources <br /> <br /> <br />Policy Commission, A Water poiicy for the American People stated: <br /> <br /> <br />"The attempt to use science and technical skill to force <br /> <br /> <br />water from the clouds is symbolic of the modern determi- <br /> <br /> <br />nation to control and use water, rather than to submit to it. " <br /> <br />In the years since this was written the skills required to "force water <br /> <br /> <br />from the clouds" have been advanced to such an extent that a wealth of <br /> <br /> <br />scientific opinion now holds that it is in the national interest to pursue a <br /> <br /> <br />greatly expanded program of research directed toward the development <br /> <br /> <br />of practical precipitation modification techniques, <br /> <br />?tJ.~~~:~~'fJj <br /> <br />During those years the need to use, control, and redistribute water has <br /> <br /> <br />motivated continuing expansion of water resource development programs <br /> <br /> <br />on the basis of regional and national need. The need to plan and build <br /> <br /> <br />these developments on a nation-wide scale under an integrated program <br /> <br /> <br />has been confirmed by experience and is firmly embodied into public <br /> <br /> <br />policy, <br /> <br />Developments in precipitation modification and water resources plan- <br /> <br /> <br />ning have now reached a juncture that changes the nature of both. Pre- <br /> <br /> <br />cipitation modification now has a clear, proximate goal of practical <br /> <br /> <br />application on a significant scale. The scientific and technical advances <br /> <br /> <br />cited above have been so significant that water resources management <br /> <br /> <br />can no longer regard precipitation as an entirely uncontrollable input <br /> <br /> <br />to its physical and economic systems, In the words of one scientist: <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br /> <br />7 <br /> <br />p- - -~f;!ri!'" <br /> <br /> <br />~~"~!&j~.~~!~~:[~ <br /> <br />