Pikes Peak Region Trail Finder

By Bob Berwyn, Summit County Citizens Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Cloud-seeding experts say their efforts boosted snow totals at Summit County ski areas by 12 to 22 inches last winter, producing an additional 8,850 acre-feet of water in the Blue River Basin.

“We … believe that this valuable service of providing additional snow was achieved in a cost effective manner,” says a report filed with the state by Western Weather Consultants, recommending that cloud-seeding weather modifications proceed on a routine basis each year to help bolster the state’s water supplies and to enhance early season skiing at the targeted resorts.

This year, the $274,000 central Colorado mountains program includes 7 Range water providers and 4 ski areas: Arapahoe Basin, Keystone, Winter Park and Breckenridg.

Cloud seeding started this week, and Larry Hjermstad, of Durango-based Western Weather Consultants, said he’s keeping an eye on the wave of incoming storms to determine if it’s time to fire up the silver-iodide generators.

Read more about the cloud-seeding program and read the Western Weather Consultants report at the Citizens Voice website.