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