Cloud Seeding Technology: Assessing Effectiveness and Other Challenges
Cloud Seeding Technology: Assessing Effectiveness and Other Challenges, Report no. GAO-25-107328, Dec 2024
Demand for water is increasing as U.S. droughts are expected to get more frequent and intense. "Cloud seeding" is an 80-year-old technology that adds tiny particles—usually silver iodide crystals—to clouds to trigger rain or snow. But the benefits of this technology are unproven. Some states are using cloud seeding, but there is little federal involvement. This technology assessment looks at how policies might address challenges such as unavailable or unreliable data on effectiveness, unpredictable cloud conditions, which need to be favorable for cloud seeding, and uncertain safety of using silver iodide more widely.
Publication type:
policy brief
Publication language:
English
Publication date:
2024-12
Publication URL:
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-25-107328
Institute:
Science, Technology Assessment, and Analytics team of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) (STAA)
Country:
United States of America
Project:
Cloud Seeding Technology: Assessing Effectiveness and Other Challenges (STAA)

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