New Mexico approves plans for cloud seeding in the southeast portions of the state

Plans for cloud seeding in New Mexico have been given the go-ahead.

The Interstate Stream Commission recently approved a seeding operation that could potentially alleviate the drought-stricken southeast portions of the state.

“We have rivers drying and farmers having to fallow or give up seasons. So, there is real concern about what the future holds if this drought persists several years more,” said Hannah Riseley-White, Deputy Director of the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission.

There is no denying the extreme drought that southeast New Mexico is experiencing. According to the State of New Mexico, last month was the 2nd driest April in the last 128 years for the state. However, weather experts say some of this drought can be chalked up to yearly rain cycles.

“We go through our phases. We get a lot of rainfall in the summer during our monsoon season if we are in the right pattern. Then there is the opposite end of that where we have our drought conditions, like what we are in right now, where we just do not get those good events with surplus totals in rainfall,” said Corbin Voges, Storm Search 7 Meteorologist.

This has led the southeast portion of the state towards cloud seeding, to find any method to alleviate the drought.

Cloud seeding involves airplanes injecting silver iodide into certain clouds, which then leads to ice crystal formations conducive to producing rainfall. While that may sound like magic, Voges says the science is proven.

“So, what this does, is it’s basically like a sponge. Maybe that sponge isn’t completely soaked, but it does have some water in it,” Voges said. “That silver iodide kind of acts like you hand squeezing that sponge, and just trying to get as much moisture out of the atmosphere as possible.”

Seeding Operations and Atmospheric Research or SOAR based out of Texas will head the operations. Counties affected include Chavez, Curry, De Baca, Lea, Quay, and Roosevelt. Each in southeast portions of the state and each in desperate need of precipitation.

“It’s pretty dire straights. Carlsbad irrigation district is still at half of their normal irrigation allotment for this time of year. So, to the extent that this could help them get a little bit closer to a normal allotment would be beneficial,” Riseley-White said.

With the combination of New Mexico's extreme fires and drought, this could just be the start of cloud seeding in New Mexico.

“I would anticipate we’ll get an increasing number of applications for cloud seeding,” Riseley-White said.