The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About09/22/1992, 4 - MODIFICATION TO CLOUD SEEDING PROGRAM ,IIIII ^H��NIIIIIIII�,IIIIIII MEETING DATE:, cityof sari _ais oBispo Sept. 222, 1992 COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT ITEM NUMBER: FROM: William T. Hetland Prepared By: Gary W. Henderson 6'-�4 Utilities Director Water Division Manager SUBJECT: Modification to Cloud Seeding Program RECOMMENDATION: By Motion, approve Amendment No. 1 to the contract with Atmospherics Incorporated for the Cloud Seeding Program reducing the amount not to exceed from $152,440 to $105,647. I DISCUSSION: On January 15, 1991, the City Council approved a three year contract with Atmospherics Incorporated of Fresno, California to provide a cloud seeding program. The cloud seeding project "target areas" are the Salinas Reservoir and Lopez Lake watersheds. The County of San Luis Obispo agreed to participate in the program and pay 37.8% of the total costs incurred. This percentage is based on a ratio of the size of the Lopez watershed to the combined size of the Salinas and Lopez watersheds. i The first year's program began on February 1, 1991 and ended on April 30, 1991. The second year of the program covered the period from November 1, 1991 to March 31, 1992. The contract states that the third year will cover the same months as the second year program The proposed amendment to the contract will reduce the third year program to the period of January 1, 1993 to March 31, 1993. i With last year's rainfall, Salinas Reservoir filled to within six inches of spilling. This was a dramatic increase in the City's available water supplies and allowed the City to rescind mandatory water rationing. Due to the large amount of available storage and budget limitations expected due to the recent state budget approval, staff has reevaluated the terms of the cloud seeding program.. The first two years of the program produced estimated increases in precipitation on the order of 8% to 14%. This is consistent with other programs which have been operated within California for a number of years. A review of historical records indicate that the months of January, February, and March are the largest average rainfall periods followed by December and November, respectively. The past two years have also revealed that January through March have provided the best cloud seeding opportunities. Last year approximately 80% of the cloud seeding flights occurred during the three month period listed above. Therefore, staff recommends that the cloud seeding program be reduced from a five month program to a three month program. Staff also recommends that if Salinas Reservoir spills (or is anticipated to spill shortly), that the City provide Atmospherics and the County with a notice.of contract termination. The contract with Atmospherics requires 7 days notification and the County agreement requires 30 days written notification. ��►bH►�Villllllllll' ��IIII city of San --..IS OBISpo COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT Cloud Seeding Program Page 2 Atmospherics Incorporated has revised the monthly fixed costs and the consumable unit costs based on the reduced time period. The overall cost for the next year will be reduced by approximately 30%. The overall cost was not reduced by 40% (ie. 2/5) because of the costs associated with mobilization of personnel and equipment. FISCAL IMPACT: Approval of the recommended amendment will decrease the existing contract with Atmospherics, Inc., from $152,440 to $105,647 for the final year of the three year contract. A total of $160,700 in Water Funds was approved for the program as part of the Administration and Engineering Contract Services 1992-93 budget (1991-93 Financial Plan, page D-36). The County intends to continue to participate in the program. The CiVs and County's contribution to the modified program would be as follows: i Contract Contingency Total Budget City 65,712 9,288 75,000 County 39.935 I Total $105,647 i Attachment: 1. Contract Amendment No. 1 I I cr�fi.QY h�fNDEl�.4.tc/ 98/ VIVO Amendment No, 1 Agreement for Cloud Seeding Services between Atmospherics Inc. and the City of San Luis Obispo It is the City of San Luis Obispo's intent to amend the agreement with Atmospherics Inc: of Fresno, California for providing cloud seeding services for the 1992/93 season. The agreement entered in to January 15, 1990 for consultant services in conjunction with cloud seeding is Hereby amended.in part to read: Exhibit , SCOPE, OF WORK shall be amended as follows: 2. The operational period for the third season(1992/93) shall begin on January 1i 1993 and end March 31, 1993. 7. C. The third year operations: January 1, 1993 - March 31, 1993 February 1, 1993 $329000' + January consumables March 1. 1993 $22,000 + February consumables April 1. 1993 $19,697 + March consumables • Payment includes the $7,000 premium for the $2,000,000 special liability insurance ("consequential lose") Consumables are considered to be the following: A. Aircraft flight time 3196 per hour B. Pyrotechnic seeding devices $22 per unit G Silver iodide solution (1) Aircraft $28 per hour (2) Ground generators $16 per hour All other terms and conditions of the agreement entered into January 15, 19M shall remain . in fall force and effect. Consultant City of San Luis Obispo . . s op o 9 �oe ' a Post4t"bwd fax twvnittal mm0 70 t d pal"W ddW&M&Vp t,� rA *O�jy - S ea o�G . SLC foo 1 , 7 0�3 TOTAL P.01