County leaders say cloud seeding in eastern Idaho is a good thing

Cloud seeding has been around for awhile but it wasn’t until 2008 that it appeared in eastern Idaho.

It’s a process that freezes water by injecting silver iodide into the air.

The iodide tricks the water into thinking it’s an ice particle and then in return creates snowflakes.

The crew use radiometers, met towers, precipitation gauges, and weather balloons to find the best storms to seed.

Derek Blestrud, Idaho Power meteorologist says even though it’s not a natural process cloud seeding is good for the Upper Snake Region.

“More snow in a water basin is good, first of all when you have more snow in a basin it’s good for wildlife, it’s good for fish on the run off, it’s also good for all of the recreation people,” said Blestrud.

Power is generated by water in the basins and cloud seeding saves the state money by offsetting the need to build other power generators.

County leaders say the investment is also making the state money.

“If an acre foot of water in the water bank right now is going for between $10 and $20 that’s a minimum of a $2 million return for a $100,000 effort… that’s a 20 to one return,” said Dave Radford, a Bonneville County commissioner.

Leaders say Idaho Power will continue to evaluate the process and hope the expand and enhance the opportunities in the Upper Snake Region.

Idaho Power completed a simulation study that projects precipitation will be up by 5 percent this winter.