Rainmaker Called By Drought-impacted Big Bear Lake

The water level in man-made Big Bear Lake near Los Angeles is falling due to several years of below-normal precipitation.

The city of Big Bear Lake, Calif. has called a professional rainmaking company to relieve dangerous drought conditions. Drought is thought to be the root cause behind a continuing bark beetle infestation that is killing millions of trees and boosting the chance of catastrophic fire in the mountain community.

?EUR??,,????'??This isn?EUR??,,????'???t voodoo, this really works,?EUR??,,????'?? Sheila Hamilton of Big Bear Lake?EUR??,,????'???s water utility told Palm Springs, Calif. television station KESQ. ?EUR??,,????'??This has an opportunity for success.?EUR??,,????'??

The city will pay Fresno-based Atmospherics Incorporated an undisclosed sum to use aircraft to scatter silver iodide into moisture-bearing clouds this winter. The effort could start as early as December.

The method is based on science and will likely boost rainfall from five to 15 percent, Hamilton said.