The Collection of Fog Drip

Fog and low stratus clouds are the dominant climatic feature along the central California coastline during the summer months. This moisture source is not only a critical feature in the local hydrologic cycle, but may prove to be a valuable source for augmenting the water supplies. During the summer of 1982 an experiment was conducted to examine the relative efficiency of two man‐made fog collection systems, the harp and cylinder. The systems were designed to maximize the collection of water droplets on vertically strung wires. The systems collected a rain gauge equivalent of between 25.2 and 80.4 cm/unit vertical area as compared to the mean annual rainfall of 60 cm.