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 Southwestern Water Conservation District (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 Busto at (303) 866-3441 or visit their website at www.cwcb.state.co.us/WatershedProtectionFloodMitigation/WeatherModification.

Regional Cloud Seeding Update

On May 20, 2011 the SWCD conducted a Cloud Seeding Workshop in Durango. In attendance were representatives from various water agencies in southwest Colorado. Also in attendance, as presenters, were representatives from the Colorado Water Conservation Board and Western Weather Consultants. 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 River Basin. Another purpose was to encourage more regular and active Basin participation in the Program.