The cost of the program will be split evenly between Durango Mountain Resort and the District. Cloud seeding is the deliberate introduction into clouds of silver iodide crystals that act as ice nuclei in an attempt to augment precipitation. Western Weather Consultants will utilize 17 ground generators operating for 2530 hours. Many substances have been used, but solid carbon dioxide and silver iodide have been the most effective, and silver iodide will be used in this year's seeding program. Mike McCormick, Durango Mountain Resort's vice president of mountain operations, said the last two years of sub-par snowfall spurred the ski area to action.
Some people question whether cloud seeding really works.
There can be no doubt, after more than 40 years of accumulated evidence, that it does. Larry Hjermstad, owner of Western Weather Consultants, said that after the upper Hermosa Creek drainage program ended in 1985, snowfall dipped below normal for the first time in a decade. Since then, snowfall has averaged between 70 percent of normal to just above normal. The 1999-2000 winter was one of the worst snowfalls on record for the ski resort. The Water Information Program hopes to be able to inform our readers of the success of this year's program.