News Release Archive

Reclamation Releases Draft Environmental Document for Walker River Basin Cloud Seeding Project in Nevada and California

Media Contact: Pete Lucero, 916-978-5100, plucero@usbr.gov

For Release: November 12, 2010

The Bureau of Reclamation has released for public review a Draft Environmental Assessment for award of a grant for the Walker River Basin Cloud Seeding Project. The project is intended to increase precipitation in the Walker River Basin through cloud seeding to enhance snowpack and streamflow. Cloud seeding activities would occur in Lyon, Douglas and Mineral counties in Nevada and in Mono and Tuolumne counties in California. Reclamation's Desert Terminal Lakes Program would grant more than $1.3 million to the Desert Research Institute (DRI) to extend the cloud seeding program for a five-year period, using five ground-based seeding generators and supplemental airborne cloud seeding each winter. The DRI would use a modeling system to estimate changes in Walker River flows as a result of the cloud seeding.

The Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) was prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act and is available online at http://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_project_details.php?Project_ID=6616. If you encounter problems accessing the document online, please call 916-978-5100 or e-mail mppublicaffairs@usbr.gov.

Written comments must be received by close of business Friday, December 3, 2010, and should be sent to Jane Schmidt, Bureau of Reclamation, Lahontan Basin Area Office, 705 N. Plaza, Room 320, Carson City, NV 89701. Comments may also be faxed to Ms. Schmidt at 775-882-7592 or e-mailed to jcschmidt@usbr.gov. For additional information or to request a copy of the Draft EA, please contact Ms. Schmidt at 775-884-8372.

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