GLEN — Montana has been dealing with inconsistent high-mountain snowpack to the detriment of agriculture, river health, and wildfire mitigation for several years.
Some people believe it’s time Montana addresses this issue through a process known as cloud seeding.
“Water is key. Other than air, if you haven’t got air and water, you’re done,” said Jim Hagenbarth.
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Hagenbarth’s family has been cattle ranching in Idaho and Montana since the late 19th century.
“We’re not owners, only tenants. That rock down there is going to be there 10 million years after I’m gone,” said Hagenbarth.
He believes the best way to manage the water for this ground is through cloud seeding — a process of manually introducing silver iodide into clouds in the hope of creating moisture, specifically snowfall.
The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) is in the midst of a feasibility study to determine if cloud seeding will be a viable option for increasing snowpack in the Big Hole Watershed.
“Cloud seeding is not a panacea; it’s not going to cure all our ills. It’s one more tool in the toolbox, and so if we can have a little bit more moisture for irrigation, and for fish, and for everybody else come the next season, then that’s worth looking into,” said Michael Downey of the DNRC.
Cloud seeding has been in practice since the 1940s. Some speculate it could increase the potential water supply by 10 to 15 percent.
“With the increase in drought and just with, you know, water insecurity if you will, there’s interest in trying to squeeze a little bit more out of the clouds that are going through,” said Downey.
EXPLAINER: How does cloud seeding work?
Montana is one of the few western states that does not practice cloud seeding. Surrounding states — including North Dakota, Wyoming, and Utah — have been doing it for years. Idaho claims the practice has been successful for about 20 years and generates about 1.24 million acre-feet of water.
“Putting that in perspective, here in the Boise system, you know, we have a three-reservoir system that would fill all of those reservoirs here in our Boise system. It would fill Palisades and East Idaho, so that’s a significant amount of water for us here,” said Idaho’s Cloud Seeding Coordinator Kala Golden.
Opponents worry about the environmental impacts of silver iodide use and the downwind impacts of cloud seeding. Supporters claim the silver iodide used is inert and not water-soluble. They say it has no adverse effects on the environment and that there is no evidence of downwind impacts.
“If we want to be responsible people, we have to base our decision on science that’s proven and works,” said Hagenbarth.
The DNRC’s feasibility study is expected to be completed by the end of February. The study then goes to the governor’s office, and then it would be up to the state legislature to decide if cloud seeding should be implemented in Montana.
