The water budget for the city of Laramie, Wyoming, was calculated for the years 1966-1970 in order to supplement studies of the city's sewage lagoons and to estimate the effects of municipal use on the Laramie River. Usage during the summer months (April-September) varied directly with temperature and inversely with rainfall, with an average of 235 gpcd. The river furnished approximately 1/3 of the annual supply, and more than 1/2 of the summer supply. On an annual basis, however the city returned more water to the river than it withdrew.

A pilot scale field investigation of the effects of supplemental aeration on waste stabilization lagoons was conducted at Laramie, Wyoming, a low temperature, high altitude area. Both batch and complete mixed experiments were conducted using constant air flows. Loading rates, both hydraulic and process, were varied. The supplemental aeration provided both aeration and mixing, thereby increasing metabolic rates. BOD reductions varied from 72 to 85% under three different loadings, at temperatures of less than 12°C. No settleable solids were found in the effluent from the aerated system. Series operation was demonstrated to have the advantages of damping variations in quality parameters, providing for shock loading, and reducing coliform counts to minimum levels.