DRI s Cloud Seeding Program: Tahoe-Truck Project Results for Water Year Jeff Tilley, Arlen Huggins, and Robert David

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1 DRI s Cloud Seeding Program: Tahoe-Truck Project Results for Water Year 2013 Jeff Tilley, Arlen Huggins, and Robert David WRWC Planning Commission November 6, 2013

2 WY2013 Results: Tahoe-Truckee Basin CA-NV Border Sierra Nevada Mountain Range CA/NV border: Dashed blue lines show pathways from ground generator sites (in blue) to SNOTEL sites (in red)

3 Early Season Tahoe Seeding Events Most fit conventional seeding criteria for basin Very few events mid Jan-mid March Longer Duration than Late Season (Mar/Apr) Events w/ embedded convection [Plot available in Extra Slides]

4 Late Season Tahoe Seeding Events Some events targeted that were more convective in nature with warmer 700 hpa (~ ft) temps..most late March-early April Most convective events targeted shorter in duration (3-5 hr) than conventional events Few events February through mid-march

5 Table. Top: Average values of weather variables during WY2013 Tahoe-Truckee seeding events. Bottom: Distribution of wind directions. Variable Average CSSL SQBC Squaw Mt Rose 700 mb Temperature Precipitation Wind Speed Wind Direction Squaw WD by Quadrant 700mb WD by Quadrant S to W 22.2% 8 S to W 66.7% 24 W to N 72.2% 26 W to N 27.8% 10 N to E 2.8% 1 N to E 0.0% 0 E to S 2.8% 1 E to S 5.6% 2

6 Generator Hours by Month Gen Hours Tahoe-Truckee WY2013 Generator Statistics Oct 2012 Nov 2012 Dec 2012 Jan 2013 Feb 2013 Mar 2013 Apr 2013 May 2013 Seeding Events by Month Events Oct 2012 Nov 2012 Dec 2012 Jan 2013 Feb 2013 Mar 2013 Apr 2013 May 2013

7 SWE relationship to suspension criteria Only a few days in Dec apply, and more for certain wind directions than others

9 Estimated Water Augmentation for Tahoe- Truckee Basin 0.25 mm = ft 1 sq mile = 640 acres. So, for the winter season the estimated snow water increase from seeding is: W s = 1232 h x 0.25 mm/h x ft/mm x 35 sq mi x 640 acres/sq mi x 0.92 W s 20,819 acre-feet.

10 Summary of past 16 yr. Tahoe-Truckee Seeding WY2013 similar to WY2012 and above longer-term avg. of # seeding hours/water augmentation Seeding late season storms w/ convective elements embedded made difference. Water augmentation estimates based on seeding efficiency == f( forecast accuracy, generator efficiency, obs. SWE)

11 WY2014 New Initiatives Joint DRI-Drone America Venture Cloud Seeding with the Phoebus-2

12 Overview Develop cost-effective miniaturized cloud seeding generator and flare technologies for testing, application in NV and elsewhere, leading to eventual commercialization Development phase DRI lead, Drone America major partner, State of Nevada, Province of Alberta (via NV-AB memorandum of understanding) Initial Tests Walker Basin or NV Test Range if FAA approved Field Proof-of-Concept Tests Proposal: Chile/South America, late winter 2014 if possible Exhibitions, Marketing, Commercialization Conferences and Publications NOTE: We are actively seeking funding partners for the full effort!

13 Initial Funding DRI gets lease of the Phoebus for $0.01 A $360K+ value! J DRI must cover operational costs Insurance Flight crew Fuel Misc. expenses DRI and State of Nevada match bring initial funding to $100K We are actively seeking partners in this effort!

14 Re-engaging the Tahoe Ski Industry: First Stop: Kirkwood

Previously, under the NV State Cloud Seeding Program Ground AgI Generator at Kirkwood during the final years of the Nevada State Cloud Seeding Program Target primarily Carson Basin/Mokelumne

15 Previously, under the NV State Cloud Seeding Program Ground AgI Generator at Kirkwood during the final years of the Nevada State Cloud Seeding Program Target primarily Carson Basin/Mokelumne Wilderness Area Ground based efforts coordinated with aircraftbased seeding over the Sierra Crest Relatively little direct impact to resort from generator; some potential benefit from aircraft seeding Tahoe/Truckee could realize some benefit from S/SSW flows

efficiency/effectiveness Winter Park Operation of two generators and weather station All generator/ wx

16 DRI Present Involvement with CO Ski Areas Durango Weather station at Durango Mountain Lodge Operate Mancos AgI seeding generator; Assist in maintenance of generators Analysis of seeding efficiency/effectiveness Winter Park Operation of two generators and weather station All generator/ wx station maintenance Analysis of seeding efficiency/effectiveness Proposed this year: begin snow sampling and chemistry analysis.

17 Towards the Future at Kirkwood Possible AgI generator Possible Weather Station Possible LPG generator Former AgI Generator, Kirkwood DMR weather station, CO Milk Creek LPG Generator CO

18 Cost Estimates for Possible Options Option Costs* Benefits Do nothing $0 No direct benefits; perhaps ancillary seeding benefit from existing Tahoe/Truckee/Walker generators in limited array of wind directions Weather Station Microwave radiometer LPG Generator LPG+Wx Station AgI generator $8350 total incl. parts, CSI, labor, maintenance $40000 season lease $20000 total incl. parts, CSI, labor, maint, operations $26000 inc. all above $60K for new generator if needed; if not needed, $55K ops+ maintenance Information would likely be available publicly, incl. to interested ski customers; improved ski ops (snow making) locally; Improve seeding operations and evaluation elsewhere Improved ski ops (snowmaking) locally Improved seeding operations and evaluation Seeding impact to Carson Basin, possible to Tahoe/Truckee and Walker Basins. Potential seeding impact locally to resort under different wind scenarios. (criteria need to be developed). Combination of previous 2 rows on chart Consistency with previous efforts; primary benefits to downstream/wilderness area users * Excludes monthly phone costs, shipping, installation, consumables~ O (5-25K/year)

19 Dashed blue lines show pathways from ground generator sites (in blue) to SNOTEL sites (in red) Tahoe-Truckee Basin

20 Thanks for Your Attention! Questions?

Final Report. Submitted to. Mr. Mark Foree and Mr. Jeff Tissier Truckee Meadows Water Authority 1355 Capital Blvd Reno, NV 89502

Final Report. Submitted to. Mr. Mark Foree and Mr. Jeff Tissier Truckee Meadows Water Authority 1355 Capital Blvd Reno, NV 89502 Final Report Cloud Seeding Project for Tahoe and Truckee Basins for WY2016 Submitted to Mr. Mark Foree and Mr. Jeff Tissier Truckee Meadows Water Authority 1355 Capital Blvd Reno, NV 89502 Mr. Jim Smitherman