California drought manipulation conspiracy theory

The 2011–2017 drought inspired alarm among many, leading to the emergence of alternative theories, or "conspiracy theories", purporting to explain its cause.

Many of the proponents claim that chemtrails are used to affect storm clouds, in a manner of suppressing the development of precipitation. This would occur because of the presence of too many cloud condensation nuclei, or "cloud seeds", in a single area. Others say that technologies similar to HAARP (a federal ionospheric research program, which was decommissioned in 2015),[3] are being used to create a large and stubborn high-pressure area over the West Coast of the United States.[4] They claim that this, also, discourages storms and rainfall.[5]

Prominent was Dane Wigington of www.GeoEngineeringwatch.org. He said that government agencies and other entities have economic and geopolitical motivations to manipulate the weather on the West Coast and elsewhere.[2][6]

Proponents have claimed credibility for the theory, in part, as a result of a Los Angeles County cloud seeding program, begun in early 2016.[7][8] This reinforces their view that government continues to engage in weather modification and/or climate engineering.[9][10]

In July 2014, the Shasta County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously in favor of a formal inquiry into chemtrail conspiracy claims. One of the reasons given was their potential to affect weather and rainfall.[6][11] The action was cheered by supporters,[12] but mocked by many in the media.[13]

• Weather modification
• Climate engineering, also called geoengineering
• List of geoengineering topics
• List of proposed geoengineering schemes
• Project Stormfury
• Weather warfare
• Solar radiation management
• Stratospheric sulfate aerosols (geoengineering)
• Beijing Weather Modification Office
• Environmental engineering