Cloud Seeding

 
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07-08 Results

Weather Consultants
 

The water resources of the Snake River Basin (both surface and ground) are being stressed by drought, population growth , and increasing demands by agriculture, cities, and recreational activities.  Therefore, the High Country Resource Conservation and Development Council conducted a winter cloud seeding program to augment snow packs.  The target areas were Upper Snake River Basin and those watersheds draining into Water Basin 31.  The program ran from November 1, 2007 to April 1, 2008 and was contracted out to Clark County and Let it Snow Inc.

 

Cloud Seeding Donations for winter 07-08:

A&B Irrigation District City of St. Anthony Mud Lake SWCD
Bannock County East Cassia SWCD New Sweden Irrigation District
Bingham County East Side SWCD North Bingham SCD
Bingham Ground Water District Fremont County North Fremont Canal Systems, Inc.
Bonneville County Fremont County Snowmobile Club Place Farms Ltd.
Central Bingham SWCD Fremont-Madison Irrigation District Power County
City of Ammon Idaho Dept. of Water Resources Progressive Irrigation District
City of Rexburg Idaho Falls Power Teton Count
City of Sugar City Idaho Irrigation District Teton Irrigation & Manufacture Co.
Clark County Jefferson County Water District #32-C
Clark SCD Madison County Water District 1
Clark-Jeff. Ground Water District Madison SWCD West Side SWCD

Results of Snake River Basin Cloud Seeding 07-08:

IDWR perspective on weather modification said there is conceptually defensible and documented success.  It is difficult to quantify  the effectiveness because so many variables exist.  Success of the program relies on the quality of the program as well as it's operators.  Current SNOTEL data shows reported areas have experienced more than 100 percent precipitation during this winter season.  With many storms moving though the state, it was a good year to activate the weather modification project.

The North American Weather Consultants, Inc.  prepared results from regression equations developed for the operational uppers snake river cloud seeding program. The results showed the northern region ranged from 0.29 to 0.93 inches of additional water content. While the eastern region ranged from 0.29 to 0.44 inches of additional water content.  For a PDF copy of the published results click the link above.

Future Goals for the Snake River Basin Cloud Seeding:

  • $150,000 to be raised for next year's cloud seeding project
  • Partnership with State of Idaho
  • Repair generators
  • Hire intern to help with fundraising
  • more SNOTEL research sites

What is cloud seeding?

Cloud seeding is a proven tool to increase precipitation and numerous evaluations have indicated that cloud seeding , when properly applied, can produce precipitation increases up to 10% or greater.  Cloud seeding is a form of weather modification. It can be used to disperse fog, suppress hail, or control winds, but is most often used to increase precipitation. It introduces other particles into a cloud to serve as cloud condensation nuclei and aid in the formation of precipitation.

 

Click the following link to North American Weather Consultants, Inc. for more information about cloud seeding as well as other test plot results.