Way to the artificial rain at the national level

RIYADH, 22 August 2005 - A project can SR75 million artificial rain by the injection of moisture and sowing of heavy clouds will continue until the end of this year. The success attempt carried out in the Asir Province, last summer called on the authorities to a national artificial rain project to cover all regions of the United Kingdom, Naif Selhu, director of the awareness of the environment to the Presidency Meteorology and Environment (SMEs ), Said here yesterday.

The Kingdom of only 100 mm rainfall per year, which is not sufficient to household waste, industry and agriculture. In addition to the increase in dependence on the water, industrial and rapid urban growth and the improvement of living standards have led to a sharp increase in demand in fresh water a year already exceeds that the Kingdom of the renewable resources of six percent.

Selhu said that the results of the investigations after the trial period are positive. "More than 60 percent of the rainy season in Asir last year was artificially induced. The process could cloud over 'live' longer, absorb more moisture and a significant increase in rainfall," said Selhu.

"The experience has given us Asir cost more than SR3.75 million," said the SME official, adding that the project was designed to restore the countries, the underground water supplies, the rapidly diminishing. It has, however, that the artificial rain can not be induced if the rain clouds were formed by nature, and then they were artificially fertilized.

Asir was for testing, as the rain clouds are over the region throughout the year.

Of course, sometimes the clouds, where the difference without encourage supply or the lack of rainfall.

"The sowing of clouds aircraft will be used for injection materials and pulverize to induce rain," said Selhu. He said that the project is executed under the supervision of U.S. experts.

The project seems to be a viable alternative in a country, deserts such as Saudi Arabia, said a report recently published. The country has one of the driest in the world with very little rainfall, the Kingdom has the largest part of the Arabian Peninsula and its topography ranges from extensive sand for the steep mountain chains.

Asir is the only province that regular rainfall, terraces and courtyards and green forests. Two large oasis, Qatif, and Hofuf, the considerable support of agricultural production in the country.

The estimates of lifetime Saudi fossils for water reserves are very different; with an estimate suggest that they could with the beginning of the next century. Hence the need for water by whatever means, however, is important in a country like Saudi Arabia, whose people should be more than 40 million in 2025.