The second major nexus of cloud seeding use are the states in the Colorado River Basin,
including Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, and California, who use it to increase winter
snowpack. Across California, water agencies and utilities spend $3-to-5 million a year on cloud
seeding, which is estimated to boost runoff by around four percent.26 During the recent intensive
drought there, many called for cloud seeding as a counter-measure, but the results met with
limited success in increasing the meager snow pack. The Desert Research Institute (located in
Nevada), which took part in these operations, is also looking into using drones in this region, as a
means for cutting flight costs.