Tahoe-Truckee Cloud Seeding Project Water Year 2018 1 DRI Cloud seeding generator: on (Sierra Crest
Tahoe Winter 2017-2018 (WY2018) Snow Water Equivalent by Month 74% Average WY2018(74%) - Nov (11%), (9%) - Dec (25%), (2%) - Jan (31%), (11%) - Feb (24%), (4%) - Mar (9%), (48%)* * “Miracle March”
Tahoe-Truckee Cloud Seeding WY2018 Project Summary Smaller-scale project for WY 2018 using the unused cloud seeding solution remaining from WY2017. - (recall: WY2017 cloud seeding project was suspended in early January 2017 due to deep snowpack and forecasts of heavy precipitation). Primary Sponsor – Western Regional Water Commission ($100,000) Additional Sponsor – Mt Rose Ski Resort ($2,500)
WY 2018 Tahoe-Truckee network 5 sites hosting 7 generators CSG 4
Tahoe-Truckee Project WY2018 October and November 2017 - All cloud seeding generators were visited. The cloud seeding equipment was tested and made fully operational, Barker Pass generators reinstalled per USFS permit. - All installed WRWC gauges were visited and serviced for the Water Year measurements. December 2017 – Began informally watching the weather for seedable storms, Mt Rose joined the program. January – February 2018 – Official 24/7 forecasting and equipment maintenance occurred. - Daily Forecast Discussions - Weekly equipment testing - Field maintenance when required - 24/7 cloud seeding operations when required March 2018 – Official program extended for one month at no additional cost to sponsor April – June 2018 – End of season generator maintenance and equipment removal from field. Data analysis of weather data and seeding operations, equipment reliability, and calculations of cloud seeding SWE increases. 5
Tahoe-Truckee Project Summary WY2018 - 23 cloud seeding events - 524 total generator hours 6
Tahoe-Truckee Project Summary WY2018 Cost/Benefit - Calculated additional SWE (9,628 acre-feet (AF) )* - Cost/benefit $10.65 acre- ft** • *3.3 billion gallons (if all added to river, enough for ~24,000 Truckee Meadows Households) • ** Seeding solution cost not included in WY2018 project costs 7
Validation WY2018 • Cloud Seeding operational efficiency (89%) – Winds favorable to deliver cloud seeding plume into target area – Temperatures in cloud favorable for successful cloud seeding – Supercooled (T<0 o C) liquid water in clouds
WY 2018 Validation Snow T T C C T C C
WY 2018 Validation: Percent of Median 104% 63% C 94% 93% 73% 65%
WRWC Gauge Network
WY2019 Nevada State Program Tuscarora Mtns. Santa Rosa Mtns. Ruby Humboldt Mtns Tahoe/Truckee Carson Walker Toiyabe Sierra Nevada Mt Charleston
State Funded Portion - Tahoe-Truckee Project WY2018 – Full Program using 3 sites 5 generators - Consumables 5 gen. (silver iodide, etc.) - Preseason site visits to fill generators and to make equipment operational - Install Barker dual generators - Nov 1 – May 15 – 24/7 weather forecasting/cloud seeding operations - Full time generator maintenance and servicing - Project data analysis, SWE increase estimates, final report preparation - End of season site takedown - Pull Barker dual generators off site for summer storage *Potential for about 11,000 acre-ft SWE on average winter 13
WRWC Partner with the State Program for this winter? - Adopt 2 Tahoe generators - Site preparation - All consumables - Parts (repairs) - Servicing trips - Data collection/management - Communications - End of season take down. - $25K per generator ($50K total) - Potential to increase SWE by more than 7,000+ acre-ft at cost of $7 acre-ft to WRWC with State Program in place 14
WY 2018 Tahoe-Truckee network CSG 15
Budget to operate the Echo and Morattini Flats Generators This Winter If State Cloud Seeding Program Bill is introduced and Program renewed at current level funding during upcoming 2019 State Legislative Session, the State Program will cover all requirements for the entire 7 generator program next winter. 16
Thank You ! Any questions/comments? 17
Recommend
More recommend
