Colorado's cloud seeding program began more
than 35 years ago and was delegated to the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) Director in 1987. At the
request of water users, the CWCB initiated a grant program in 2004 to cost
share cloud seeding operations with local sponsors. More recently, grants from
the three Lower Colorado River Basin States to the SWCD initiated a
multi-state/multi-year collaborative effort in the Colorado River Basin.
The primary goal of the Basin States Program is to increase system water supply
in Colorado and the entire Colorado River Basin,
as well as to modernize equipment and evaluation techniques. As Joe Busto, with
the CWCB Watershed Protection and Flood Mitigation Section, stated, another
thrust of the effort is to, "Copy the success of other programs and bring
them to Colorado."
For more information on cloud seeding in general and the State Program in
particular, contact Joe at (303) 866-3441 or visit their website at www.cwcb.state.co.us/WatershedProtectionFloodMitigation/WeatherModification.

Regional Cloud Seeding Update

On August 6^th
the Southwestern Water Conservation District (SWCD) conducted a Cloud Seeding
Workshop in Durango
for a full-house crowd. In attendance were representatives from various water
agencies in southwest Colorado.
Also in attendance, as presenters, were representatives from the Colorado Water
Conservation Board, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, the
Desert Research Institute, Western Weather Consultants, and the San Juan
Resource Conservation and Development Council.

The purpose of the workshop was to provide
attendees with an update of the state's Cloud Seeding Program, including the
importance and impacts for the Dolores/San Juan/San Miguel River Basin. Another
purpose was to encourage more regular and active Basin participation in the
Program. Randy Seaholm, CWCB Chief of Water Supply Protection, provided
background on the Program as it relates to interstate Compacts. As Randy
stated, "Cloud seeding could be a key component in helping minimize the
probability and impact of a Compact Call."