The colorado river basin in currently in its 23RD year of unprecedented drought

Inflows into the colorado river have declined significantly causing lake mead and lake powell, the nation s two largest reservoirs, to decline to historically low levels. Cloud seeding (also known as weather modification) is a method to increase precipitation and snowpack. The information provided through these projects benefits the colorado river basin stakeholders by increasing knowledge of this method with the potential to help improve the drought conditions within colorado river basin. Also, since 90 of the water in lake mead originates as snowmelt in the upper basin, the additional precipitation and snow accumulation that cloud seeding can provide, IT directly benefits the entirety of the colorado river basin, including the communities and ecosystems that rely on this water source. In 2018, agencies within the seven basin states entered into a programmatic funding agreement where the lower basin entities, and new mexico, cooperatively have funded weather modification projects managed by the colorado water conservation board, utah division of water resources, and wyoming water development office (upper basin entities).studies have demonstrated that cloud seeding can increase snowfall by 5 15 in parts of storms that are seeded. While cloud seeding is a non import environmentally safe method, for creating additional water inflow into the colorado river system, further research is needed to determine whether this can meaningfully support the water needs of the colorado river basin, local communities, and ecosystems. This agreement will continue to enhance, implement, and monitor aerial and ground based cloud seeding projects by targeting key snowpack areas in the upper colorado river basin. The data gathered from the program can help further research on cloud seeding. This agreement is expected to enhance the projects by changing existing manually operated cloud seeding generating equipment to new technology that includes remotely operated generators. Technical reports will be prepared annually that provide a narrative of the project goals, activities, and evaluation of data findings. These technical reports will be made available to the public. The primary recipient will pass through the funding to the appropriate upper basin entities for operations under the colorado river basin weather modification agreement. The pass through entities will identify and solicit the contractors to provide the new equipment, as well perform and implement the aerial and ground cloud seeding projects.