Evaluation of the effects of cloud seeding projects in precipitation increase (Case study: Isfahan Province)

10.22034/jmas.2021.311451.1156

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Professor of Rangeland and Watershed Management Department, Faculty of Natural Resources and Environment, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad

2 MSc Graduate in Arid Land and Desert Manegment , Faculty of Natural Resources, Yazd University, Iran

3 MSc Graduate in Watershed Management, Faculty of Natural Resources and Environment, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran

4 Senior expert, National cloud seeding research center.

Abstract
One of the key questions about cloud seeding projects is the real effects of these projects on regional precipitation increase. In the other word, answer to the question: "How much rainfall would be obtained in addition to the normal condition due to execution of cloud seeding projects?" This research was designed to evaluate the effects of cloud seeding in precipitation increase in Isfahan province in year 2008-2009 using and also comparing the float control and constant control methods. In float control method, based on the assumption of two hours effects for the injected materials, the cumulated target area is specified by over-laying the maps of seeding flights carried out in each month. Then a strip of 50 to 70 km width from the target area border is considered as the control area. It needs to be mentioned that in constant control method, precipitation volume of the control area is used instead of precipitation height of the stations. Results obtained from this research show that the constant control method indicates no variation of precipitation in comparison the normal condition for Jan. 2009, where it shows 76% and 31% increase of precipitation respectively for Feb. and March and 33% for the April. For the float control method, the results show respectively 71% and 28% increase in Feb. and March, but 5% and 27.5% decrease respectively for the Jan. and April.

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