Central Arizona Project Halts Cloud Seeding Program Amid Efficacy Concerns
The Central Arizona Project (CAP) has decided to discontinue its funding for a cloud seeding program aimed at increasing snowpack in the Colorado River basin. This decision, made during a recent board meeting, marks a significant shift for CAP, which has been a part of collaborative cloud seeding efforts in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming since 2007. The program's objective was to boost snow totals in the mountains where the Colorado River originates by releasing particles into the air to encourage clouds to drop moisture. In recent years, water agencies in Arizona, California, and Nevada collectively contributed approximately $1.5 million annually to this upstream cloud seeding work. However, CAP board members expressed skepticism regarding the program's effectiveness and the ability to accurately measure its outcomes. Board member Stephen Miller noted that while scientific studies suggest cloud seeding can add snow, quantifying the exact amount remains challenging. Another board member, Alexandra Arboleda, q...
