Cloud seeding in Colorado could make waves in the West
On a ridge overlooking [Lake Irwin], a lone, cylindrical contraption — perched atop a steel tower — periodically belches out flames. The device is a remotely operated cloud seeding generator. When the conditions are right, it shoots a vaporized chemical solution into the atmosphere, catalyzing ice crystal formation and, subsequently, snowfall. The generator at Lake Irwin, along with its 15 counterparts around Gunnison County, together contributed an estimated 19 billion gallons of water into the Colorado River watershed last season.