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Public Works Agency <br />www.santa-ana.org/pw <br />Item # 32 <br />City of Santa Ana <br />20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701 <br />Staff Report <br />May 17, 2022 <br />TOPIC: Santa Ana River Watershed Weather Modification Pilot Program <br />AGENDA TITLE <br />Adopt a Resolution in Support of the Santa Ana River Watershed Weather Modification <br />Pilot Program and Approve One-time Funding in the Amount of $10,000 for the Program <br />(Non -General Fund) <br />RECOMMENDED ACTION <br />1. Adopt a resolution in support of the Santa Ana River Watershed Weather Modification <br />Pilot Program. <br />2. Approve one-time funding in the amount of $10,000 to the Santa Ana Watershed <br />Project Authority for the Weather Modification Pilot Program. <br />DISCUSSION <br />The Santa Ana River Watershed Project Authority (SAWPA) is a joint powers authority of <br />five member agencies — Eastern Municipal Water District, Inland Empire Utilities Agency, <br />Orange County Water District, San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District, and <br />Western Municipal Water District — created to help resolve interagency conflicts, support <br />resource planning, and address regional water issues in the Santa Ana River watershed. <br />SAWPA seeks to create and facilitate partnerships with and between organizations <br />pursuing shared interests and overall watershed sustainability. <br />Due to the recurring drought conditions facing the region, SAWPA conducted a study in <br />2020 on the economic and technical feasibility of implementing a weather modification <br />program in the watershed to increase water supply in the region. The results of the study <br />indicated the potential for increases in regional precipitation and streamflow via "cloud <br />seeding". Cloud seeding is a type of weather modification used to increase the amount of <br />precipitation, including snow or rain, during the storm season of both dry and wet years. <br />This process works through releasing particles of silver iodide into clouds, which <br />increases the chances of droplet condensation. Based on decades of experience, the use <br />of silver iodide for the purpose of cloud seeding has been shown to be safe for people <br />and the environment. The potential environmental impacts of silver iodide have been <br />studied extensively and represent a negligible risk to the environment. <br />