With persistent drought still plaguing China, some regions have begun squabbling over clouds.

With the help of modern technology, such as launching rockets filled with various cloud-seeding substances, rain has fallen on some parched areas.

But the practice has caused considerable controversy in China in recent days, with some saying that one area's manmade rain takes moisture that nature intended to go to another.

In central China's Henan Province, persistent drought has hit the cities of Pingdingshan, Zhumadian, Luohe, Xuchang and Zhoukou. Cloud seeding finally brought the residents of the five cities some wet stuff last Saturday, but by no means equally.

In Pingdingshan, more than 100 millimeters of rain fell.

But in Zhoukou, it simply drizzled, with less than 30 mm of rainfall measured.

Meteorologists in Zhoukou were soon accusing their counterparts in Pingdingshan of overusing natural resources by intercepting clouds that would have likely drifted to other places--say, like Zhoukou.

"Some places have abused rainwater resources," said a Zhoukou expert who asked not to be named.

The controversy over who gets access to which clouds demonstrates that the country needs regulations on how to exploit and utilize these resources, said Sun Boyang, a weather law expert from the Henan Meteorological Bureau.

However, Hu Zhijin, of the Chinese Meteorological Society, said that conditions are still not ripe for regulation.

It is still difficult for meteorologists to test the effects of weather modification, such as determining precisely how much rainfall has been caused by rainmaking activities, Hu explained.

"The natural changes in the atmosphere are very fast and complex," Hu said. "We are not yet able to observe the atmosphere everywhere at all times, so the data we collect is not complete."

Hu said another two decades of research may be needed in order to draft such regulations, if it is even possible then.

The most effective way to manage rainfall is for government entities to coordinate efforts, Hu said.

(China Daily July 14, 2004)