introduction

Numerical Simulations of Snowpack Augmentation Numerical Simulations of Snowpack Augmentation for Drought Mitigation Studies in the Colorado for Drought Mitigation Studies in the Colorado

Rocky MountainsRocky Mountains

San Diego, CA January 12, 2005

Colorado WDMP Project OverviewColorado WDMP Project OverviewPresented by:

Curt Hartzell, CCM, Project Consultant

Joe Busto, Colorado Water Conservation Board

Ray McAnelly, Colorado State University

Gustavo Carrio, Colorado state University

PI for CSU Research Team: Dr. Bill Cotton

INTRODUCTION

The Colorado WDMP research project was joined with the Denver Water Department’s operational cloud seeding program in the central Colorado Rocky

Mountains for the 2003-2004 winter season.

DWD’s cloud seeding program was operated by Western

Weather Consultants, LLC - Larry Hjermstad

WWC seeding generator site V1 (Ellison),

elevation 7,088 ft, looking SE

Up to 56 ground-based seeding generators were used to release silver Iodide over a mountainous target area of about 3700 sq. km.

GOAL

To provide a physical

evaluation of the operational cloud seeding using the well-established Colorado State

University Regional

Atmospheric Modeling System

(RAMS), with a fine 3-km horizontal

grid spacing covering the entire

seeding area. RAMS 3-km grid with target area boundary, towns,

seeding generator locations, Snotel sites

OBJECTIVES

Use RAMS to develop a better understanding of the transport and dispersion of seeding materials and to

provide guidance as to what meteorological conditions are most favorable for augmenting snowfall from orographic clouds over the Colorado mountains.