Weather Modification Research in the United States: A Historical Overview

Project Stormfury: An Attempt to Modify Hurricanes

In the 1960s, the United States military conducted Project Stormfury, an attempt to modify hurricanes in the Atlantic basin using cloud seeding. However, the project was limited to only a few hurricanes due to strict rules set by the scientists. The project appeared to change the structure of the hurricanes slightly, but only temporarily. Concerns over the potential negative impact on people in the path of the storm stopped the project.

Cloud Seeding Research Projects by Federal Agencies

In the early 1960s, two federal agencies, the United States Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation; Department of the Interior) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA; Department of Commerce), supported various weather modification research projects. Reclamation sponsored several cloud seeding research projects under the umbrella of Project Skywater from 1964 to 1988, studying winter and summer cloud seeding in several states and two countries (Thailand and Morocco). NOAA conducted the Atmospheric Modification Program from 1979 to 1993, also studying cloud seeding in various states.

Cloud seeding research projects sponsored by federal agencies in the 1960s and 1970s focused on using weather modification techniques to enhance water supplies in the western United States. The United States Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), an agency within the Department of the Interior, sponsored several cloud seeding research projects under the umbrella of Project Skywater. The goal of the project was to increase precipitation during the winter and summer months through cloud seeding in several states and two countries: Thailand and Morocco.

One of the most successful cloud seeding projects was carried out by the University of Nevada at Reno in collaboration with Reclamation. The project, called the Nevada Cloud Seeding Project, began in 1960 and continued until 1983. It focused on winter orographic seeding in the Sierra Nevada mountain range to increase snowpack, which would melt and feed into reservoirs and rivers during the spring and summer months. The project successfully increased snowpack by an average of 10%, leading to a significant increase in water availability for agricultural and municipal use.

In addition to Project Skywater, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), an agency within the Department of Commerce, conducted the Atmospheric Modification Program from 1979 to 1993. The program studied cloud seeding in various states, including Texas, Colorado, and Wyoming. The program focused on both winter and summer cloud seeding, and one of its most successful projects was conducted in Colorado. The Colorado River Basin Pilot Project, which ran from 1991 to 1995, successfully increased precipitation in the area by an average of 5-10%.

Despite the successes of these research projects, cloud seeding remains a controversial practice, with concerns about its effectiveness and potential environmental impacts. However, the research carried out by Reclamation and NOAA provided valuable insights into the science of cloud seeding and its potential applications in managing water resources. The legacy of these projects lives on today, as cloud seeding remains a tool that scientists and policymakers can use to help mitigate the effects of drought and water scarcity in many parts of the world.

Research Focus on Augmenting Water Supplies

The research projects focused on augmenting water supplies in the western US through winter orographic seeding to enhance snowfall in the Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada, and precipitation in the coast ranges of southern California. Reclamation partnered with state water resources agencies in California, Colorado, Montana, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and Arizona to ensure that the applied research met state water management needs.

Recent Research Programs

In the last two decades, funding for weather modification research in the US has declined. However, Reclamation sponsored a six-state research program from 2002 to 2006, called the “ Weather Damage Modification Program ,” in cooperation with six western states. The program focused on mitigating the effects of weather damage.

Conclusion:

Weather modification research has a long history in the United States, with federal agencies sponsoring numerous cloud seeding projects in various states. The research focused on augmenting water supplies through winter orographic seeding and precipitation enhancement. While funding for research has declined in recent years, there is still a need for a national research program to explore the efficacy and safety of weather modification practices.