Brief look at what a full Grayrocks Reservoir means for Laramie River Station

An aerial photograph taken on July 23, 2010.

The man-made lake that supplies water to the Laramie River Station reached 100-percent capacity on May 28.

The last time the reservoir was full was in June 2001. Grayrocks reached its low point in January 2008, when it was only 10 percent full.

Grayrocks Reservoir, July 2010.

Scott Woolsey, Laramie River Station civil engineer III, says the lack of water at Grayrocks forced the power plant to supplement its water supply with water from owned wells and leases from other wells and the Wheatland Irrigation District. The plant will continue to use well water through the end of each lease.

Because the well water contains more silica than the Grayrocks water does, more lime is needed to remove it. Once the plant starts using more Grayrocks water again, it’ll be able to use less lime.

See where that process takes place, and where water levels are monitored, in the video below.