Title
Consider receiving a Feasibility/Design Study for a Winter Cloud Seeding Program in the San Antonio and Nacimiento Drainages, California and providing direction to staff.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Monterey County Water Resources Agency Board of Directors:
Receive a Feasibility/Design Study for a Winter Cloud Seeding Program in the San Antonio and
Nacimiento Drainages, California and provides direction to staff.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
Recent drought conditions before last winter renewed interest in a cloud seeding program for the Nacimiento Reservoir and San Antonio Reservoir watersheds. As a result, the Agency contracted North American Weather Consultants, Inc. (NAWC) last fall to perform a feasibility study for a cloud seeding program targeting the watersheds of the Nacimiento and San Antonio reservoirs.
Using guidelines from the American Society of Civil Engineers, NAWC concluded that a cloud seeding program for the reservoirs would be technically and economically feasible. Annual costs for a cloud seeding program are estimated to range from $136,000 to $312,700 depending on the components of the program. Estimated cost per acre-foot of water produced as a result of the cloud seeding program range from approximately $3 to approximately $9 per acre-foot. These estimates don’t include costs for a California Environmental Quality Act compliance process that might be likely needed prior to the implementation of a cloud seeding program.
At its July 27, 2017 committee meeting, the Reservoir Operations Advisory Committee recommended seeking support from the Board of Directors to move forward with the implementation of a cloud seeding program for the Nacimiento and San Antonio reservoirs.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
A similar feasibility study was performed for San Luis Obispo County for a cloud seeding program for the Lopez Lake and Salinas Reservoirs.
FINANCING:
None for receiving cloud feasibility study report.
Prepared by: Germán Criollo, Associate Water Resources Hydrologist (831) 755-4860
Approved by: ____________________________________________________
David E. Chardavoyne, General Manager, (831) 755-4860