DEL MAR — Before the year’s end, Los Angeles County is planning to invest 800 grand in a rain-inducing project. Idea is to inject the San Gabriel Mountain clouds with a solution of silver oxide particles.

Will it be successful? Some so-called experts say “yep,” others opine the money would be better spent on water conservation educational programs.

If there’s too much rain is there a plan B to call off the deluge?

In 1916, there was a flood in San Diego County caused by rains that lasted more than three weeks.

Roads, bridges and train tracks were washed away completely isolating Del Mar for several days.

However, Mother Nature was not blamed for the calamity. There were a number of smooth talkers who swore they could cause rain. One of them was Charles Hatfield who lived with his family near Vista. An experimenter, Hatfield was convinced he could bring rain by seeding clouds with undisclosed chemicals.

The county was in a drought period so he was able to convince officials of his program. He promised to produce rain that would overflow Moreno Dam east of San Diego

Early in January 1916, it began to rain and it continued for several days. The rainfall was reported to have exceeded more than 12 inches. Del Mar became a huge lake. It was estimated that more than 3 billon gallons of water flowed into the ocean.

No less than a dozen drownings were suspected with the actual number believed to be much higher.

When Hatfield appeared before city officials to collect his stipend of $10,000, attorneys said the rains were in reality an “act of God” and if he prevailed he would be liable for $3.5 million in damages caused by the rains.

Hatfield departed without collecting any money for the services he insisted he had provided.

The village suffered another major flood in 1932 when it was again marooned from the rest of the county. However, Hatfield was not around to be blamed for the havoc that it caused.