DENVER - A cloud-seeding effort sponsored by Denver Water to alleviate drought conditions appears to be working, even though official results won't be known for several months.

The consultant overseeing the operation said October and November storms provided fertile clouds for silver iodide crystals, which are thought to absorb moisture and increase snowfall.

"We've had quite a few opportunities," said , said Larry Hjermstad of Western Water Consultants in Durango. "It got off to a good start, and we've been working with some of the smaller events that are coming through."

Statewide measurements taken Monday show snowpack approximately 14 percent below average, but considerably higher than the same time last year. Hjermstad said he'll consider the effort successful if snow levels are closer to normal than they've been in recent years.

Hjermstad's company signed a $700,000 contract with Denver Water last fall. Ski resorts in Summit and Grand counties and other Front Range communities are chipping in to pay for the costs of the cloud seeding.

The seeding is done by shooting the silver iodide crystals into storm clouds from machinery on the ground.

Colorado has experienced below-normal snow levels each of the last six winters. The resulting lack of spring runoff and moisture year-round has the state in a severe drought affecting both urban and rural residents.

-- Anonymous, January 03, 2003

Answers

Boulder County water managers aren't nearly as excited about the prospects for cloud seeding as other urban neighbors.

"It's such an unproven art," said Doug Short, Lafayette's public works director. "It's not a science. There's no way to quantify the benefits."

Denver Water is measuring snow in areas where clouds are seeded and in areas where they aren't to compare later on, agency officials said. Those results won't be available until June.

Denver Water Manager Chips Barry has said he hopes to generate 48,000 acre-feet of water. An acre-foot is equal to 326,000 gallons of water, enough to cover a football field to a depth of 1 foot.

Short is putting his money elsewhere to deal with the drought.

"I'd rather take that money and go buy water rights -- that's real water," Short said.

-- Anonymous, January 03, 2003

It's all been falling to the EAST of CO.

Idiots.

-- Anonymous, January 03, 2003