ConnectionThe Wyoming

Winter 2018

NRWA Apprenticeship Program

Spring Training ConferenceOld School, or Automation, or Both?

Winter 2018 – Issue 107

The Wyoming Connection is the official publication of The Wyoming Association of Rural Water Systems. It is

published quarterly for distribution to member systems, water and wastewater Operations Specialists, water

related agencies and companies, legislators and government officials.

Graphic Design/Layout – Donna Uribe, WARWS

Articles, letters, and photos are welcome. Submit to:

Wyoming Association of Rural Water Systems, PO Box 1750, Glenrock WY 82637 “An equal opportunity provider”

(307) 436-8636 TDD 1-800-877-9965 e-mail: warws@warws.com

Web Site: http://www.warws.com

Cover Photo – Serena Dahle, a friend of Donna’s neice, Kinsie Clarkson, Bozeman, MT, was driving on a back road in Gallatin Gateway, MT, found an old barn, saw the owls, and snapped this shot. It’s not everyday you see two Great Horned Owls this close!!

Contents and FeaturesNRWA Advocacy Saving You Money ......................................................................4

Waterpro Apprenticeship Program, Mark Pepper ...................................................5

A Little Update on our Team! ..................................................................................6

2018 – What the hell happened to 2017! Mark Pepper ..........................................7

Old School, or Automation, or Both? Ross Jorgensen & Michelle Christopher ......8

Wastewater Collection Systems (Part 3) Mark Court ...........................................11

Operator’s Corner, Mark Court & Michelle Christopher ........................................13

Incompetence, it’s Everywhere!, Kathy Weinsaft .................................................14

Great Water makes Great Ale ..............................................................................15

The Rate Setting Results...Are In, Carl Brown .....................................................16

Spring Training Conference ..................................................................................18

Conference Registration .......................................................................................19

Booth Registration ................................................................................................20

The Great American Eclipse, Mark Court .............................................................21

Our Western Heritage-Winter in Wyoming, Kathy Weinsaft .................................23

Scrawny Girl’s Hungry Hiker Kitchen, Michelle Christopher .................................24

Krista Johnston, new WyoWARN Chair................................................................24

What Can Microbes do for You? Rick Allen ..........................................................26

WYOWARN ..........................................................................................................27

Stories Along the Trails, Mark Court .....................................................................28

Wyoming Pioneer Woman, Dan Chamberlain ......................................................30

WARWS Board of DirectorsPresident

Erin Martin, Shoshone Utility Organization(307) 330-6144 emartin@easternshoshone.org

Vice PresidentChuck McVey, Town of Saratoga

(307) 329-5807 cmcvey_7@yahoo.com

Secretary/TreasurerRon Overson, Grand Targhee Resort

(208) 705-7899 roverson@grandtarghee.com

National Director Earl McKinney, Rural West, LLC

(307) 250-2742 ruralwestwyo@yahoo.com

DirectorLoren Crain, Antelope Valley I&SD

(307) 680-5050 elc.warws@vcn.com

The AssociationWyoming Association of Rural Water Systems is a non-profit association that provides on-site, one-on-one technical assistance and training to small municipalities under 10,000 population and all water and wastewater systems throughout the state. Equal Opportunity Provider.

WARWS’ Mission:To provide the assistance necessary to meet the needs of ourmembership and to ensure the protection of Wyoming’s water

~ our most precious resource.

WARWS Staff Office:

Mark Pepper, Executive Director(307) 259-6903 markp@warws.com

Jane Jeffs, Office Managerjanejeffs@warws.com

Donna Uribe, Administrative Coordinator(307) 258-3414 warws@warws.com

Field:Ross Jorgensen, USDA Registered Circuit Rider, UMC UFC

(307) 251-2803 rossj@warws.com

Michelle Christopher, Circuit Rider, UMC UFC(307) 259-8239 mchristopher@warws.com

Kathy Weinsaft, USEPA Training Specialist, UMC

(307) 262-3943 kweinsaft@warws.com

Mark Court, USDA Registered Wastewater Specialist, UMC(307) 262-3974 mcourt@warws.com

Dan Chamberlain, State Small Systems Circuit Rider, UMC (307) 248-8021 dchamberlain@warws.com

Miles Edwards, USDA Source Water Specialist(307) 554-0079 medwards@warws.com

UMC - Utility Management CertificationUFC - Utility Finance Certification

Moving Forward with Workforce Development

Waterpro Apprenticeship ProgramThe “Silver Tsunami” is a phrase used to describe the demographic shift occurring today across America as the baby-boomers leave the workforce. The real fear is that there are not enough people entering the workforce to replace the baby-boomers, which means employers are competing for workers. Graduating high school seniors do not even recognize water and wastewater operations as career fields, despite their giving importance to public health, environmental safety, and the economic viability of their community.

Using a proactive approach to address the impending worker shortage, NRWA joined with the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Office of Apprenticeship to develop the National Guidelines for Apprenticeship Standards for Water and Wastewater System Operation Specialists.

The DOL’s Office of Apprenticeship provides information about apprenticeship to employers and employees, explains what apprenticeship programs are, and how employers can establish their own programs. An apprenticeship is a combination of on-the-job training and related instruction in which workers learn the practical and theoretical aspects of a highly skilled occupation. Apprenticeship programs can be sponsored by individual employers, joint employer and labor groups, and/or employer associations.

The Department of Labor’s role is to safeguard the welfare of apprentices, ensure equality of access to apprenticeship programs, and provide integrated employment and training information to sponsors and the local employment and training community. The Obama administration made expanding the apprenticeship programs a priority and NRWA’s 31,000 member utilities would open up a new industry to National Guidelines Standards of Apprenticeship.

The 2-year registered apprenticeship program allows State Rural Water Associations to work with utilities senior operators to provide training and technical guidance to their employee/apprentices. The apprentice will receive 4,000 hours of structured on-the-job training (OJT) under the supervision of the people who know the system best. The program’s OJT time allows the senior operator time to teach the apprentice the unique characteristics of the system (institutional knowledge) which are critical to the optimal operation of the utility. Additionally, the OJT is augmented by 288 hours of Related Training and Instruction provided by the state rural water association and others, as needed, and designed to ensure a comprehensive professional education for the apprentice.

Registered Apprenticeship Programs allow the apprentice to use VA and other training/educational funds. In addition, Registered Programs can apply for federal and state grants to assist the Association (sponsor) and employer with program expenses.

CoBank, a private financial institution, has been working with NRWA to develop a fund designed to help ensure the financial viability of the apprenticeship program. CoBank’s public-private partnerships investment, along with continuing support from federal agencies (DOL, USDA, EPA), state agencies, and utilities attest to the timeliness of the Waterpro Apprenticeship program.

On August 11, 2017 the Alliance of Indiana Rural Water became the 1st state association to have a DOL Registered Apprenticeship Program for Water and Wastewater Operation Specialists.

Presenting the program to industry representatives at the signing for \Wyoming on November 10, 2017.Michael (Mike) Ann Broad, State Director Office of Apprenticeship, US Dept. of Labor and Mark Pepper, WARWS Executive Director

The ProcessIn July of 2016, NRWA’s senior leadership (Sam and Matt) attended the Department of Labor’s Energy Sectors apprenticeship meeting in Dallas. NRWA was invited to participate because over the previous year we worked with DOL, EPA, and others to update the Water and Wastewater Competency Model to include required skill sets relevant to small systems. The success of the competency model update put rural water on the DOL’s radar for potential apprenticeship programs.

NRWA’s leadership jumped at the opportunity to develop an apprenticeship program. On November 14, 2016, NRWA and several State Rural Water Associations, announced the creation of the Workforce Advancement and Innovation Center in Duncan, OK. The Center announced that it would develop the WaterPro Apprenticeship Program, a nationally

recognized standard that will be registered with the U.S. Department of Labor. A subsequent meeting with state executive directors and staff in Dallas began working on specifics of the program.

On May 31, 2017, the National Guidelines for Apprenticeship Standards for Water and Wastewater System Operation Specialists documents were submitted to the DOL for review. The National Guidelines for Apprenticeship Standards for Water and Wastewater System Operation Specialists, were completed with assistance from Shannan Walton, the State Director of the Oklahoma Office of Apprenticeship and David Gaither, Regional Executive Assistant for Region 4 Office of Apprenticeship, DOL. Both were instrumental in guiding NRWA through this process. Shannan and David, as well as other Office of Apprenticeship State Directors across the country, will continue to be important resources in the successful implementation of this nationwide apprenticeship program at the state level.

On June 15th, President Trump issued an Executive Order; expanding Apprenticeships in America, cementing the administration’s commitment.

The NRWA National Guidelines for Apprenticeship Standards were certified by the DOL in July 2017.

On the 10th and 11th of August, the DOL Energy Sector of Excellence met in Denver, Colorado. The first day of the meeting was highlighted by the official signing of the National Guidelines for Apprenticeship Standards for Water and Wastewater System Operation Specialists by Matt Holmes for NRWA and Jose Velazquez, Deputy Administrator for the DOL Office of Apprenticeship. Mr. Velazquez spoke about DOL’s excitement at partnering with Rural Water and the rarity of national standards.

The Alliance of Indiana Rural Water began working with their state Office of Apprenticeship Director shortly after the Dallas meeting. By the end of July, Indiana submitted their Apprenticeship documents to the DOL. On August 11, 2017, the Alliance of Indiana Rural Water became the 1st state to have a Registered Apprenticeship Program under the national standards.

NRWA National Guidelines for Apprenticeship Standards were published in the Federal Bulletin September 21, 2017.

Bill O’ConnellProgram Manager NRWA

A little update on our team!!Many of you know all of the staff here at WARWS and most of you know we are also a part of a bigger team, NRWA. As we enter 2018, there are some significant changes within our team I’d like to tell you about.

First, the 49 state associations that serve all 50 states (Rhode Island and Connecticut are 1 association) have some very talented ED’s. I’ll not slight anyone by not mentioning them, but trust me, as a group, we are a force.

Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, South Carolina, Alabama, Indiana, Min-nesota, Texas, Nebraska, Montana, Washington, Alaska and Hawaii are all headed up by a very talented group of women. As a whole, Rural Water is pretty diverse.

I am a little nostalgic as I write this as several states will see new ED’s or have new ED’s within the last several months. New York, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ohio, Missouri, South Dakota, Arizona and Colorado will all have new ED’s by later this spring. That is a lot of institutional knowledge leaving. Several of these states have had ED’s who have been in place for 20+ years, a couple over 30 years. I have learned a great deal from all of them and will miss the con-versations with them!!

I have met some of the replacements and they are equally as strong so I know Rural Water is in good hands. To Patricia, Dave, Ruthie, Kevin, John, Denny and Tom, enjoy retire-ment and thank you for all of your wise council over the years. I look forward to working with the poor souls who will step into very big shoes in each of these states.

Team Rural Water is a force nationwide! We are always one of the first groups onsite at any disaster to ensure water and wastewater services are restored as quickly as possible which aids the recovery in every case. I am really proud to be associated with all of the Rural Water family!! Mr. P.

2018 – what the hell happened to 2017!!I can’t believe that 2017 just came and went faster than the new Tesla roadster (and just as quiet). If 2017 has taught us anything, it is the old Chinese saying about he who lives in a glass house should not throw the first brick, or something to that affect.

2017 has seen a lot of changes in how our government works, doesn’t work, and how it may need to adapt to new thinking. One thing is for sure, 2018 should be as interesting as 2017. How do I know, I got this tweet……

For your Association, 2017 was a good year in many ways, and we hope to continue the momentum in 2018. Thanks to an extremely talented staff and equally talented professionals at all of the water and wastewater systems in Wyoming that we all work with, Wyomingites enjoy some of, if not the best drinking water in the country.

Don’t believe me? Hey, Aspens Pines Water and Sewer District was judged to have the best tasting drinking water in the country to start 2017. As you read this, Wyoming’s entry for 2018, the Town of Chugwater, will be in the process of competition to determine the winner for 2018. Wyoming has had 1 Gold medal, 1 top 5, and 11 top 10 finishes since 2005. Now that is consistent good, affordable and safe drinking water!!

The last few years have been very good ones for our efforts to help minimize the effects of new regulations or to interject our views into discussions to make any new regulations affordable to implement, and realistic in their concept. See the box NRWA Advocacy saving you money, (on page 4). All of the state affiliates and the NRWA staff work very closely with federal and state regulatory officials in crafting regulations or new rules to continue our mission of providing “Quality on Tap”.

Our budgets, as yours, have tightened yet again. We will still provide the same great technical assistance and training throughout the state in 2018, but you may have to call and ask for someone to visit. In the last couple years we have actually had more calls requesting a visit as opposed to our dropping in on the Circuit Rider’s routes. In fact, requests are exceeding our ability to get to all of the requests timely. We have had to utilize priority scheduling to meet the requests

with the most need first (translation, a violation or emergency comes first). Your systems support through membership and sending you to our trainings allows us to supplement program revenue we receive from NRWA and the costs to travel, receive up-to-date training, and maintain the quality professionals we have on staff. For your continued support in 2018, I thank you.

We may not say it enough, but we all enjoy what we do and we enjoy helping all of Wyoming to have great drinking water. What helps us the most is your letters or acknowledgements if we have gone above and beyond, or we helped make a difference that saved your system a lot of money. We don’t like to brag or pat ourselves on the back, but we are extremely appreciative if you do! Letters of appreciation for a technical assistance visit, an onsite training course, and the more specific the better is what helps us prove our worth each and every year to maintain the program revenue we receive from the NRWA.

So, 2018 here we go!! Crap, I already have meetings and speaking requests in 2019. Mr. P.

We say “see you again soon” not goodbye!!

At the Board meeting in April of 2017, our long time board member and then President, Loren Crain announced that he would step back from leadership and quite possibly would not run for re-election to the Board after most of our ex-istence as an association. Loren has served mostly in the President’s role or as the National Director for the better part of 20+ years. He helped guide the Association through formation, the early years and I have been privileged to have him in the role of President since I was hired in Jan-uary of 2006. At our December, 2017 board and budget meeting, Loren did confirm that he would not be running for re-election.

The Association has grown. From the beginning “founding systems” that numbered a strong 18 to our current 234 vot-ing members; 14 supporting members; 83 associate mem-bers and 45 individual members. From 1 lonely program to our current 6, the purchase of a permanent facility and to our visit to the White House in April of 2008 (note to future members, cowboy attire and White House security do not mix) Loren has been a constant and steady hand in leading this Association. As you see Loren around at the coming 2018 Annual Spring Training Conference, please thank him for an extraordinary job well done. Don’t tell him goodbye, just see you soon!!

Old School, or Automation, or Both? A conversation between a younger circuit rider

and an older one.Ross:Instant communication, no matter where you are. That is with the exception of rural Wyoming, where the “can you hear me now” man has never been, has gone from a luxury to a way-of-life for most. The super highway of the internet gives us information (or too much information) at our finger tips to keep us informed and up-to-date with the rest of the world. Sound great? Maybe, maybe not.Michelle:Constant contact is the new normal, Ross. Even in the wilds of Wyoming. I can get a data signal if I’m willing to climb to the highest peak (which I usually am). But I will agree; more information and connectivity may not be all it’s been advertised.

In the water and wastewater industry, electronics have given operators the ability to check up on their system right from their smart phone. A few years back while instructing a class at our Wyoming Rural Water Spring Conference I noticed an operator at the back of the room paying more attention to his cell phone than to me. What I thought was game playing or texting was actually an operator turning on a pump at this system 150 miles away because a level sensor in the storage tank had stopped working while he was at training. This operator kept his small town’s water system operating while one of his operators were retrieving parts and making repairs. I thought that was kind of cool.

While electronics and the automation of our water/wastewater systems have greatly assisted us in knowing what is going on in the system at any given moment and helping to reduce windshield time, there is a negative that comes with this tool.

Automation can be a wonderful tool but we have to remember it is only a tool and doesn’t replace the experienced Water/Wastewater Operation Specialists. There have been more than just a couple of small water systems that have been sold the idea that by automating their water system they wouldn’t need as many employees anymore? An even better question is how many boards and councils bought that lie not grasping the fact that the computer doesn’t go out at 2 AM and fix the water line break?

Automation is truly amazing. As an operator, I loved having the ability to check my water plant after a 2 am phone call from the alarm system. I could see if it was a real alarm, or simply a sensor that was “feeling lonely”. I could also assist other crew members with troubleshooting the water plant by being able to see the same screen as them. That being said, SCADA systems are only as good as the information being put into them. Knowledgeable Water/Wastewater Operation Specialists understand that the icons on the screen are merely artistic representations of real life pumps, tanks and other components. If that real life piece of equipment is compromised, or must be manipulated in a way that the programmer and engineer never imagined, it’s up to the Operation Specialist to figure out how to make it work.

For me, the scary part of automation is that this time saving technology is being installed WITHOUT the training on how to manually override the computer or even the means to manually override it when everything freezes up or just plain shuts down. Don’t laugh, there are critical parts of water systems out there that the automation installed cannot be bypassed or overridden without a considerable amount of work. Can you say “NO WATER” or “TOO MUCH WATER”? This can, will and does happen. We are beginning to see with the “Old Guard”, that is, those of us operators in their 60’s that have or are getting ready to retire, the issues this is creating. Too many of the next generation of Operation Specialists coming up either don’t know or are having difficulties keeping their system operational when the automation has to be over ridden and the system has to be run manually.

This is the heart of the issue, Ross. Automated systems are inherently more complex than manual ones. Without

understanding the treatment process, order of operations, the how and why each step in the treatment process occurs, systems cannot be operated manually. Engineers and programmers are afraid that if the Operations Specialists can manually override the system, damage could occur to the components, because someone might forget to open a valve, or ramp up pump speed too quickly. When a system upgrades to automation, it is imperative that the design process include a discussion of “abnormal operations”, or how the plant can be operated if power or programming is lost. If the design team feels that the system is too complex to be operated manually, there needs to be backup power, backup programs and 24-7 support to the operators. There should also be a discussion of why the system needs to be that complex. In addition to all of this, there should also be language in the contract that includes start-up and additional (manual override) training, customer support, and (because nothing breaks 9-5 CST, Monday through Friday) after hours numbers!

Don’t take this lightly. I spent three days assisting a system that was almost out of water in the storage tank when I got the call because when the water plant wouldn’t start up on its own after a storm took out their power, the operators didn’t know what to do when the automated level controls were fried by a power surge. Luckily, the valves could be put in a manual mode and we controlled flows the old fashioned way, we walked through the plant and visually monitored and manually operated the plant until replacement parts were installed. By the way, a replacement level sensor for the wet well wasn’t readily available and I mean a week out for delivery from somewhere back east. A day and a half later, with the aid of a local electrician, a different level sensor that is readily available off the shelf in Wyoming was installed.

The real frustrating part of getting this system up and running manually was trying to get an “ERROR” code cleared from the VFD (variable frequency drive) control. The control asked for a four digit number to clear the error but none could be found from the manufacturer’s operation guide. When this nationally known manufacturer was contacted, the four digit number wouldn’t be released

to us without paying for the code number with credit card! The manufacturer’s representative gladly released the information once I identified myself as a Rural Water Circuit Rider. I guess they didn’t want the bad publicity going out to other Circuit Riders across the nation.

Hmm… I may remember that incident…

I would hope you remember it! And by the way I’m still waiting for that steak! (Personal ribbing, so let’s get back to the article)

It’s part of why I became a Circuit Rider. Anyway. The take home message for me after that happened is that as the level of automation increases, the complexity increases, and manual operations become more difficult. That and the probability of catastrophic failure exponentially increases the further the chief operator is away from the plant. When “hacking” a system to allow it to be operated manually, knowing where the Operations and Maintenance Manual is one thing, having a meaningful manual with good contact information is another. Do not allow your decision makers to sign off on a project with an O&M manual that is merely photocopies of cut sheets, with the model of your pump circled in red! Yes, I know we could totally look it up on our phones, but this is an emergency, and our phones aren’t working, remember? One more important note, during manual operations, board members must be made aware that the system is not behaving normally, and that the operator will be spending as much time as necessary to keep the system in water, and the wastewater flowing. This may mean that the park will not be mowed, nor will flowers get watered!

Water treatment plants that used to have a wall covered with lights, gauges and switches allowing easier manual controlling have been replaced with a computer monitor, key board and mouse. Again, if the computer and electronic controls go out, how will your plant continue to make safe, clean drinking water or will your system run out of water? You need to ask this question.

This is a great time to review your Vulnerability Assessment. If the power goes out, or you lose your computer or other Critical Component, what will happen? Answering this question before 7 am on a Sunday morning is a great idea. Having an operating plan that solves this problem and practicing it before the emergency occurs is an even better idea.

For those of us that have worked in the water and wastewater industry when everything was operated and monitored manually, this will be an inconvenience, but we must take the extra time to train the electronic age operators how to operate our system without the computer. We must also

get the message across to engineers and manufacturers the necessity of being able to operate the system without the computer.

Absolutely! Operators, whether those of the much-maligned Millennial Generation, or those of the “I’ll turn on a computer over my dead body” Generation must be trained on how their systems work. It’s important to know not only how the system actually works (without computer), but how the computer programming makes the system work. When all goes dark, knowing how the programming drives the system during normal operations will make abnormal operations without programming easier to set up.

Unfortunately, in the real world, it is not if a system will fail, it is when, and how spectacularly. Communicating this to owners (boards), engineers and manufacturers is crucial. Owners need to know that any upgrade, no matter how expensive, state-of the-art, or disrupting will eventually fail. Manufacturers hate to admit that for any product, there is a design life, and limitations. Engineers spend a considerable amount of time designing our systems. They have a certain amount of ownership in them, and they don’t want to think about those systems failing. Good engineers don’t design systems that fail. GREAT engineers design resilient systems that can fail and continue to function. Regardless of these potential failures, the system must produce and deliver clean, safe drinking water, keep the collection lines flowing, and produce a high quality wastewater treatment effluent. Therefore, considering abnormal operations MUST be a part of the design process.

You make a good case Michelle, but I still sleep better at night knowing that an experienced Water/Wastewater Operations Specialist who can sense through touch, sound and sight can detect a potential problem before any alarm goes off.

Absolutely. Automated systems should be treated like any other tool and not a replacement for a living, breathing, thinking Water/Wastewater Operations Specialist.

The objective is to fill in the empty squares so each row, each column, and each 3x3 block contains the numbers 1-9 with no repeats.

WARWSDOKU

Wastewater Collection Systems (Part 3)

Introduction

In the last issue of the Connection, we discussed the components of a wastewater collection system and the materials pipes are constructed of. In this issue, we will cover collection system fittings and components of the manhole.

Fittings and Special Devices

Along with the piping, the collection system is composed of numerous special fittings, as well as manholes. Each of these devices has a specific function.

Flush Branches and Cleanouts

A flush branch connection is nothing more than a cleanouts. These can be found in older sewer systems. They serve the same purpose as a cleanout; as an access to clean blockages.

Sewer cleanouts are installed at the building. It is a capped pipe that allows for access to the service connection. It’s purpose is to allow access to clean out blockages. Cleanout can be installed inside of the building, as well as outside of the building. They can be a single pipe that allows for access away from the building, or they can be a double sweep cleanout that allows not only access away from the building, but also back toward the building.

Occasionally, cleanouts will be installed to branches, mains and trunk sewer lines at the beginning of the line, instead of having a manhole installed. These cleanouts are usually installed in areas out of the way of traffic.

Sewer Tap

The sewer tap is used as a means of connecting a new building to an existing sewer line. A hole saw is used to make a hole in the sewer line and a saddle is placed over the hole and held in place with clamps to make a watertight seal. Many times, holes are cut using an improper cutting tool. This may lead to jagged edges and will likely lead to materials hanging up at the tap and the sewer backing up.

Calder Coupling

Calder couplings are flexible couplings that use a rubber like liner and two clamps to connect two pipes together. They are commonly used for repairing broken pipes or for

connecting two pipes of different sizes or materials.

Inverted Siphon

An inverted siphon is a section of sewer line used to carry wastewater under a depression, such as a stream, storm sewer or large water line. It is obvious that this section of sewer line lies below the hydraulic grade in the line. This section of line is always flowing full and under pressure.

Inverted siphons can present problem. Communities look for ways to avoid siphons in their wastewater collection system whenever possible. Siphons require periodic flushing maintenance. During low flow times, the wastewater velocity can be so low that it can create ideal conditions for sedimentation to deposit and cause blockages. A Pee Trap is a simple example of an inverted siphon.

Fittings

Rarely will you see fittings used on sewer lines other than on service connections and building sewers. There are five common fittings used. These include tee’s, wye’s, 90° bend (a 1/4 bend), 45° bend (a 1/8 bend) and a 22½ ° bend (1/16 bend).

8 6 4

3 6 4

4 8 6

1 5 4 6 8

2 5 6

7 6 9 2 3

9 7 2

5 4 7

1 6 5

Manholes

There are two common types of manholes used in Wyoming. They are the standard and drop manholes. Manholes are installed in the collection system in order to provide access for line maintenance and inspection. Manholes are placed at each change of direction of sewer line. They are also installed at major changes in grade and at connections between lateral and branch sewers, branch and main and trunk sewers. Maximum spacing of manholes is determined by the diameter of the pipe. For lines less than 15 inches, manholes must not exceed more than 400 feet. For lines 18 inches or larger, manhole spacing must not exceed 500 feet.

Drop manholes allow the connection lateral that is much higher in elevation than the main. The drop can be placed either inside or outside of the manhole. The outside drop is much more difficult to clean in the event of a blockage.

Components of Standard and Drop Manholes

Base: Standard and drop manholes are usually constructed of concrete. A concrete bottom or base is poured in the bottom of an excavation.

Flow Channel: The flow channel, also known as an invert, is a “U” shaped channel that is formed in the base. The channel improves the hydraulics through the system and prevents buildup of solids in the manhole.

Barrel Section: The barrel, also referred to as the riser, is placed on top of the base and are usually constructed of pre-cast concrete. Each section of barrel is typically 3 feet tall. The joints between each section are sealed with grout to prevent groundwater from entering the manhole.

Cone: The cone is placed on top of the barrel. The cone is constructed of concrete and is either eccentric or concentric. To prevent groundwater intrusion, the cone is grouted to the riser.

Lid Ring: At the top of the manhole is the lid ring made of cast iron. The purpose of the lid ring is to hold the manhole cover. The ring is grouted to the cone with a flexible material called mastic.

Lid: Standard manhole lids or covers are made of cast iron and are either 22 or 24 inches in diameter. Lids may or may not have vent holes.

Rings: When the level of the street is raised, it becomes necessary to raise the manhole cover. This is accomplished by removing the lid ring and installing concrete riser rings then reinstalling the lid ring. These riser rings are manufactured in 2 inch, 3 inch and 4 inch heights.

Steps: Most manholes are equipped with steps built into the side of the cone and riser section. These steps may be

made of steel, galvanized steel, or stainless steel. More modern steps are plastic coated. These steps may provide easy access into the manhole, but are not necessarily the safest route in. With the presence of hydrogen sulfide gases, these steps will likely deteriorate quickly. Even plastic-coated steps will likely corrode where the step is mounted to the barrel. It is becoming common practice to remove the steps and use a portable tripod and harness as the safest means of entry.

Bench: A concrete bench is sometimes installed in large manholes to provide a location to mount flow measuring equipment.

Inserts: To prevent excessive water from entering the manhole from the surface (inflow), a plastic disk called an insert is placed in the manhole lid ring. This device not only reduces water entering the manhole but also allows for gases to escape through valves in the side or bottom of the insert.

Summary

In this issue of the Connection we discussed the fittings and special devices in the collection system. We also discussed manholes and their components. In the next Connection, we discuss the lift station and its components.

Operators CornerAnswers on page 31

Wastewater QuestionsMark Court

1. According to OSHA, which of the following oxygen-in-air concentration is the lowest safe concentration for humans to breathe in order to avoid the hazard of oxygen deficiency?

a. 7.5% oxygenb. 19.5% oxygenc. 21% oxygend. 55% oxygen

2. Solids in wastewater have an average specific gravity of 1.20, which means they are:

a. 12% heavierb. 20% lighterc. 2% heavierd. 20% heavier

3. A temperature of 35°C would be equal to ______ on the Fahrenheit scale?

a. 37.2°Fb. 56.6°Fc. 67°Fd. 95°Fe. 120.6°F

4. A pH reading of 6.0 in raw wastewater indicated the sample is:

a. Acidicb. Alkalinec. Neutral

5. If a sewer is to have a slope of 0.004, it means there will be 0.4 feet of fall per _____ of sewer length.

a. 1 footb. 10 feetc. 40 feetd. 100 feete. 1000 feet

Water Questions - Michelle Christopher

6. Which of the following statements is true?a. Chlorine gas tends to lower pH while hypochlorite tends to raise pHb. Chlorine gas tends to raise pH while hypochlorite tends to lower pHc. Both chlorine gas and hypochlorite lower pHd. Neither chlorine gas nor hypochlorite affect pH

7. Which is NOT a protective method for trenching?a. Sloping and benchingb. Shieldingc. Shoring d. Slip lining

8. The filters in a water plant are 40 feet long, 20 feet wide and 7 feet deep. The flow through the plant is 1500 gpm. Calculate the filtration rate.

a. 2.6 gpm/ft2

b. 1.9 gpm/ft2

c. .26 gpm/ft2

d. 3.7 gpm/ft2

9. Which device is used to measure the flow of gases?a. Parshall flumeb. V-notch weirc. Rotameterd. Nutating disk meter

10. Which pump can be operated for a short period of time without incurring damage?

a. Progressive cavityb. Diaphragmc. Horizontal-turbined. Peristaltic

Incompetence, it’s everywhere!You, or someone you know, or perhaps even someone you work for, has been really successful at every job assignment they have been tasked with. They receive one promotion after another until they are finally moved into management. How’s that working? Well, sometimes it is great, and other times not so much. How can a really competent line staff be such a washout as a manager? It really is simple. The skill set you need to accomplish line tasks, actually getting the work done, are totally different from the skill set you need to be a successful manager.

Managing staff is more than simply telling people what to do. Management skills include problem-solving, decision making, planning, delegation, communication, prioritizing and time management. While management and leadership have overlapping skill sets, they are two distinct and different roles. In general, I think of management as the person deciding how to get things done, where as leadership is responsible for the what and why of what gets done. Think of leadership as vision, and management as mission focused.

A good manager should have the following traits, attributes and skills:

• Leadership• Influencing, leading and delegating abilities• Ability to initiate/manage cross-functional teams

and multi-disciplinary projects• Critical thinking, decision making, and problem

solving skills• Planning, prioritizing, and organizing ability• Result oriented with the ability to achieve goals

within a given time frame• Excellent communication skills• Ability to negotiate • Conflict resolution• Adaptability and the ability to be efficient under

pressure• Possess good judgment and sound character

This is in no way an exhaustive list, but it is a good start. It also gives us some insight about why an individual who may be really, really good at a technical task may not be management material.

So how do they end up in management? There are many competing theories on this topic. Probably the most famous of the theories is the Peter Principal. The Peter Principal states that the selection of a candidate for a position is based on the candidate’s performance in their current role, rather than on abilities relevant to the intended role. Thus, employees only stop being promoted once they get to a position that they can no longer perform effectively. In other words, we rise to our own level of incompetence. In the past, once you rose to your own level of incompetence, you were there for eternity or until you retired. Today, that no longer seems to be the case with people being promoted one additional level. These are the folks that I refer to as Bo Bo’s.

According to the Bo Bo Theory of Management, a person’s incompetence is actually highly valued by those above them in the organizational hierarchy. The person on the top of the hierarchy, wishing to remain in power forever, chooses his associates and staff with the prime criterion of incompetence. They are threatened by competent people, so those they hire and surround themselves with must not be competent enough to remove them from power. Since subordinates often mimic their leaders, and we hire individuals that are most similar to ourselves, these folks do the same with those below them in the hierarchy and the hierarchy is progressively filled with more and more incompetent people. Hence, it only takes a very few Bo Bo’s in an organization to BoBoize an entire organization.

A more kindly view of how BoBoization occurs is described in the Dilbert principle. This principal says that “leadership is nature’s way of removing morons from the productive flow.” Scott Adams, the cartoonist that developed the principal, describes it this way, “ ...In many cases, the least competent, least smart people are promoted, simply because they’re the ones you don’t want doing actual work. You want them ordering the doughnuts and yelling at people for not doing their assignments-you know, the easy work.

Your heart surgeons and your computer programmers-your smart people-aren’t in management.” Archibald Putt agrees. His Law says that there are two types of people, “Those who understand what they do not manage, and those who manage what they do not understand.” In other words, those who can, do, and those that can’t do, manage.

Still want to move into management? Let me be very clear here though. There are good managers and leaders out there. I am blessed to work with one. Their presence in the work force seems to be shrinking with each passing year, however, and we are worse off for it as a profession and in general as a country. Incompetence does not have to be terminal. Training is available through WARWS. Give me a call and let’s develop a training plan to meet your system, board or community’s needs.

Macey’s Potable Water Team, Snake River Brewing Team, & Mike Hoeft collecting water for H20MG from Aspens Pines (SRB)

JACKSON HOLE, WYO – Mike Hoeft knows water. He’s the Water System Operations Specialist from Aspens Pines Water and Sewer District. The same district you may recall that won “gold” at this year’s Great American Water Taste Test on Feb. 8, 2017.

Hoeft also knows beer. His mug hangs in a Top 5 slot at Snake River Brew Pub as a longtime SRB Mug Clubber.So, a marriage of the two was an obvious no-brainer.

Snake River Brewing announced today the release of the Rocky Mountain Extra Pale Ale called H2OMG. It was made with 1,500 gallons of the Nation’s Best Tasting water collected from the Aspens Pines. The extra pale ale style was selected by Head Brewer Rudy Borrego so the flavors from water could be showcased. It is a light and balanced ale that has been dry hopped with ahtanum hops for aroma.“It’s a very light American pale ale. It’s not overly bitter or hoppy. There is no one flavor to over power another. We thought it was the best way to showcase the water,” Bor-rego said.

That water is drawn untreated from a series of deep, 100-foot wells in the Aspens, according to Hoeft. “I collected this sample myself. We’ve won several taste tests, and ev-ery time I was the one who collected the sample,” the water guru told the National Rural Water Association earlier this year.

And Hoeft was sure to be on hand when SRB contracted with Macey’s to ship the water to their brewing facility. The brewery used Macey’s stainless steel, potable water tanker but only after they flushed it out three times to make sure they were getting only pure Aspen Pines water.

SRB Director of Operations Chris Erickson said, “It’s re-ally great to be able to do something like this for our mug clubbers, and what a fun story to tell.”

H2OMG began pouring just hours ago. It has been offi-cially unveiled for the semi-annual Mug Club party in order to honor Hoeft for the inspiration…and the water.

Great Water makes Great Ale

“Back in the day” when utility service was cheap, rates were… cheap. Being cheap, rate structure fairness was no big deal. Surprise: it’s 2018. Costs are up and rate structure now matters.

Your Association understands this change. They provide rate setting help. But, it’s mostly of the basic kind. Rate analysis is time consuming and Association staff has a lot of folks to get around to.

Rate analysis paybackAs you will see in some tables that follow, analysis can enable utilities to collect a lot more revenues. Thus, the cost of analysis – which is an investment – has a payback period. That simply means the return on investment (extra income produced) will pay for the cost of the investment (analysist’s fees) in a calculable period of time.

The payback period for analysis described here is measured in days. Compare that to an investment in a balanced mutual fund, with an eight percent return rate. That investment will pay back in nine years. Notice, that’s days versus years.

That said, most utilities will raise their rates some over five or ten years. That would reduce the extra incomes attributable to rate analysis, and that would lengthen the payback period, but it would almost always still be measured in days.

Interesting factoids:

Wyoming has a total of 99 incorporated cities, towns and villages. (By population, it’s the smallest state in the U.S.) Ten municipalities have gone through the RATES Program and two more are in it now. When you consider that only 50 or so have populations over 1,000, the usual low end of the candidate pool, that’s a high participation rate. Impressive, Wyoming!

Rate Analysis and Training for Environmental Systems

“RATES” is a joint effort of six rural water associations and GettingGreatRates.com.

Rates goal: Provide excellent utility rate analyses and rate setting guidance at low cost, and training at no cost.

To learn more about the Program and to see detailed results, visit https://GettingGreatRates.com and click on a state link.

Occasionally, rate adjustments are aimed at creating fairly-structured rates rather than extra revenue. You can’t measure the value of fairly-structured rates in dollars, but they are worth a lot to ratepayers. And fairly-structured rates are a part of almost every appropriately done rate analysis.

Rate analysis is also a narrow specialization. It takes a long time to learn the principles and how to “do the math.” Unless you do a lot of rate analysis, it’s just not worth the time it takes to learn this discipline.

Enter, the “RATES Program.” In 2012, the Kansas and Wyoming Associations were the first to initiate RATES Programs. North Dakota, New Mexico and Virginia came along in 2013. In early 2017, Colorado became the most recent association to join in.

A few years into the Program, some of the RATES Programs now have results to show.

Here they are.Table 1 shows some of the overarching results of the RATES Programs. For example, the average fee for rate analysis of one utility works out fo $6,123. Since the average client has had 1.75 utilities analyzed (usually water and sewer) and included a visit to present results and recommendations to their board or council, the total fee came in at $10,715.

On average, utilities end up raising their overall rates by enough that they recover the fees out of the revenue increase in five days. For the next five years or so, minus five days, the increased revenues are available to pay for needed improvements and such.

All this averaging might make it seem like fees are not nailed down. They are. We scope each project and charge fees on a lump-sum basis: $XX for a water rate analysis, $YY for sewer, and $ZZ for an on-site visit. Going in, clients know

The Rate Setting Results… Are InBy Carl Brown, President, GettingGreatRates.com

Utilities need adequate and fair rates. Stating the need is easy. Satisfying the need is hard.

Ask yourself these questions:• How are adequate and fair rates calculated?• Who should do the calculating – me? Someone else?• Do I want to take the time to learn what assumptions to make, the process of analysis, and how to do the calculations? Do I want to catch flack for recommending rates? If not...• How much will it cost to have a specialist do it for me? The nagging worry...• Will they take me for a ride? And, the elephant in the room...• How much extra revenue will a rate analysis help my utility generate?

exactly what their project will cost. The uncommon situation where we charge by the hour is when attorneys are involved (lawsuits).

The five-year average return on investment rate is 36,353 percent. That’s right, not single or double digits of percent, but thousands of percent. Beat that, Wall Street!

Table 2 shows electric utilities saw greatest average rate revenue increases. Electric is often considered the “cash cow” of utilities, but those rates still needed to go up.

You might be gratified to know that water rates needed to go up the least. On average, the water utilities were only $334,000 per year short of the revenues they should have been collecting. But, a third of one-million-dollars per year is a lot to be short.

In Table 3, you can see we analyzed 49 utilities, but only had 29 clients – many cities and a few districts have us analyze multiple utilities. And, we didn’t have 29 different clients. Eight of our clients so far have been repeats. They had us analyze something. After that experience, they came back and had us analyze again. Sometimes that was to update a previous analysis. Sometimes it was to analyze a different utility.

There are two big picture results we crow about. The hidden one is the improvement in rate structure fairness that rate

analysis enabled these utilities to achieve. You can’t show rate structure fairness in a return on investment calculation. However, it yields an important, if unmeasurable, return – good will. Every public servant and utility needs good will.

The in-your-face satisfying result is the increase in revenues – $109 million. That will buy these systems a lot of improvements, equipment rapair, and replacement. That enables a lot of good service. Good service buys good will. We’re double-dipping on the good will return.

There are many articles in this magazine edition, and all the editions that came before it, about a problem and its fix. At the heart of almost every utility problem is (the lack of) money. Money may not make the world “go-round,” but it does make utilities go-round. By setting up the RATES Program, your Association cut straight to the problem – getting enough money and doing it fairly.

But, they didn’t set up the RATES Program and then walk away. They monitor the communications, work, results and fees of the rate analyst (me). If I mess up, they fire me. After 269 rate analyses, to-date, that has yet to happen, and my intent is for it to never happen.

Within the next five years, your utility will probably need rate analysis. It probably needs a lot more revenue right now. And, your ratepayers deserve fairly-structured rates. Rate analysis is the best first step to fixing those problems.

So, do this: Talk to the Association. Tell them your situation. Ask them if they think you need rate analysis. If so, call us. We will be glad to get you into great rates and add your “stats” to those above.

But don’t worry. To us, you will never be just a set of statistics.

Carl Brown is President of GettingGreatRates.com, which specializes in water, sewer and other utility rate analysis. The firm also serves as the RATES Program rate analyst for the Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, North Dakota, Virginia and Wyoming Rural Water Associations. Contact: (573) 619-3411; carl1@GettingGreatRates.com

Shaking it up and moving it on!Spring Conference, that is. The venue for our conference this year is the Ramkota. The new venue gives us all sorts of opportunities to try different things and have new training and networking experiences. Change is never comfortable but it can have huge payoffs in what we gain. We want your input on all aspects of the venue, training and access to vendors. One of the first things we are asking your input on is on an event for Wednesday evening. That has always been when we did the beloved annual Putt-Putt Tournament at Old Town. With the change of venue, a new activity is needed. What would you like to do? What would be fun? We have a few ideas of our own, but we sure would like yours.

As important as networking and other activities are, conference is all about training. This year is going to be all about the three S’s; Safety, Security and Sustainability. One is dependent on the other, and they are totally interconnected.

To kick it off, we are delighted to be hosting, along with our National Association, EPA Regional office and others, a Regional Water Finance Forum. This forum will begin at noon on the 16th and continue through the 17th of conference week. Please let your decision-makers know about this forum. It is designed for them and it is free of charge. They simply need to register at our web site. It will also be good for all licenses but it is not core.

If you need core hours, we will be having a wonderful class presented by the incredible John Schwartz of USABluebook. John taught preconference for us last year and he is back by popular demand. The rest of conference will be jam packed with lots of new classes, tours and hands-on activities. Come join us in Casper. See you at the Ramkota. Kathy Weinsaft

Spring Training Conference

April 17th - 20th, 2018

Ramkota Hotel and Conference Center800 N Poplar St, Casper WY 82601 (307)266-6000

Reservations: www.ramkotacasper.com $80 rate (year-round)Includes complimentary hot breakfast buffet

Includes complimentary Manager’s reception Mon-Thurs 5:30-6:30pm

Make a Difference

Two WARWS Board of Director positions will be up for election during the Spring Conference. The Southwest region includes Teton, Sublette, Lincoln, Sweetwater, and Uinta counties. The Northeast region includes Sheridan, Johnson, Campbell, Crook, and Weston counties. To be eligible to sit on the board, you must be an employee or official representative of a member system. Board responsibilities include quarterly meetings, two of which are done at conferences. The other two by phone. If interested, submit a letter-of-intent to Mark Pepper, or email markp@warws.com.

The Best Tasting Water in Wyoming

We invite every system attending conference to enter “The Best Tasting Water in Wyoming” contest. The winning system will be hosted (airfare, room, and meals, for one representative) in Washington D.C. at the National Rural Water Rally 2019 by the Wyoming Rural Water Executive Director and Wyoming National Director. The delegation will meet with officials from the USDA Rural Development, USEPA and will visit with Wyoming’s US Senators and Representative to discuss water issues facing systems in Wyoming. To enter, bring 1/2 gallon of your water, in glass and on ice to the registration booth when you check in.

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION27th Annual Technical Conference

April 17th - 20th, 2018Ramkota Hotel and Conference Center, Casper WY

Name for Badge: ___________________________________________________________________________________

Your Employer: _______________________________________________ 5 Digit Operator ID# REQUIRED _______

Your Title or Position: _______________________________________ Daytime Phone: ________________________

Billing Address: ____________________________________________________________________________________

City/State/Zip: _____________________________________________________________________________________

Bill my employer: _____ Pay with credit card: _____ E-mail confirmation to: _________________________________

Personal address to receive our magazine: ______________________________________________________________

Email to receive notifications: __________________________________________________________________________

I plan to attend only the Pre-Conference on the 17th (No Fee) ________I plan to attend the EFC Finance Forum the 16th & 17th (No Fee) _______

FULL REGISTRATION April 17th - 20th (Includes Pre-Conference, all classes, Exhibit Hall, meals and breaks, and Certification processing)

Member – Early Bird, payment included (By 3/15/18) .............................................................. $385 _____Member – After 3/15/18 ............................................................................................................. $435 _____Non-Member Early Bird, including a new Individual Membership through 12/31/18................ $495 _____Non-Member after 3/15/18, including a new Individual Membership through 12/31/18......... $545 _____Decision Maker / Clerk .............................................................................................................. $125 _____

I plan to bring a water sample for the ‘Best Tasting Water in Wyoming’ contest (circle one) – YES NO

If paying with a credit card, please complete the following:Master Card or Visa Number: _________________________________ Expiration date on card:__________Name (exactly as it appears on the card): _______________________________________________________Billing Address: ____________________________________________________________________________

Host Hotel:Ramkota Hotel & Conference Center – $80 room rate

800 N. Poplar, Casper, WY 82601Reservations: www.ramkotacasper.com (307) 266-6000

Return this form with payment to:WARWS, PO Box 1750, Glenrock, WY 82637 (307) 436-8636or Fax (307) 436-8441 or Register on-line: www.warws.com

One-day only registrations Member Non-memberWednesday only: (classes, lunch, Exhibit Hall, Game Night) ......... ............ $200 $225 = $ _______Thursday only: (classes, lunch, Exhibit Hall) ............................................ $200 $225 = $ _______Friday only: (buffet breakfast, classes) ...................................................... $150 $180 = $ _______

Total $ _______Additional meal tickets, for guests, will be available at the Registration BoothRefund policy: No refunds after 3/15/18. Amount can be credited to a future event

Exhibit Hall – 8’ x 8’ space, 6’ skirted table, pipe and drape, 2 chairs, wireless internet, meals for one

1st, 2nd, 3rd request for booth # _____, _____, _____Note: Some booths are numbered the same as the sleeping room right behind it. If you choose one of those booths, you must also take that room. Reserve the room by emailing Karin East dos@ramkotacasper.com.

ASSOCIATE MEMBER – EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION PAID BY 3/15/18:Member Exhibit Hall ___ x $450 _____

ASSOCIATE MEMBER – REGISTRATION AFTER 3/15/18Member Exhibit Hall ___ x $550 _____

NON-MEMBERS – EARLY BIRD (Includes one year non-advertising membership @ $325)Non-Member Exhibit Hall ___ x $775 _____

NON-MEMBER – REGISTRATION AFTER 3/15/18 (Includes one year non-advertising membership @ $325)Non-Member Exhibit Hall ___ x $875 _____

NON-MEMBER (Does not include membership)Non-Member Exhibit Hall ___ x $990 _____

Please print legibly or type:Company Name: ___________________________________________________________________________Mailing Address: ____________________________________________________________________________City/State/Zip: _______________________________________________________________________________Telephone: __________________________________ Fax: ________________________________________ Type of Product/Service: ______________________________________________________________________Name(s) and emails of those attending: ___________________________________________________________ _____________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

Wyoming Association of Rural Water Systems27th Annual Spring Conference – BOOTH REGISTRATION

April 17th - 20th, 2018 Ramkota Hotel and Conference Center, Casper, WY

• Donations for door prizes will be accepted and appreciated Total $ _______• Refund Policy: No refunds after 3/15/18

SPONSORSHIPS Available – Do not have to be an Exhibitor to be a sponsor (Company names will be listed in conference program and on signage) Break/Food Sponsor ___ x $250 = _____ Game Night (Food and prizes): ___ x $100 = _____ Donation ___ x $100 = _____ Sponsorships packages available: email Mark Pepper – markp@warws.com

Host Hotel: Ramkota Hotel and Conference Center – $80 room rate

800 N. Poplar, Casper, WY 82601www.ramkotacasper.com or call 1-307-266-6000

Return this form with payment to: WARWS, PO Box 1750, Glenrock, WY 82637 or

Fax: (307) 436-8441 or Register on-line: www.warws.comFor more information call our office at (307) 436-8636

If paying with a credit card, please complete the following:Name (exactly as it appears on the card): ______________________________________________________________Billing Address: _________________________________________________________________________________Card Number: __________________________________________________ Expiration date on card:_____________

Preparation for The Great American Eclipse

Guest article co-written by Brenda Hagen and Mark Court

On August 21, 2017, one of nature’s greatest spectacles occurred across our nation, and Wyoming was in the pathway of totality for this great event. Millions of people from around the world gathered to see this amazing event from Oregon to South Carolina. The totality was seen in 14 different states. A total eclipse is a once-in-a-lifetime event for most people, so it’s supposed to be the fun of music celebrations, souvenirs, and of course the eye glasses to protect our eye sight. If this was all the planning necessary, it would be an easy event to plan for, but there is so much more that most people couldn’t even begin to imagine.

The tiny town of Glendo, Wyoming was considered to be one of the viewing hot spots. The town even made national news when Clerk Brenda Hagen was interview by ABC for their Nightline telecast. Being it was the first totality town closest to Colorado’s Front Range and the Denver Metro, many referred to it as the “Driveshed”. With Glendo State Park and Reservoir being nearby, this town with a population of 200 had the potential of growing to more than 100,000 in a matter of a few days. So how do you prepare for the unknown?

Brenda began preparation four years prior to the event. Many told the town they should consider an event planner because of the magnitude of this event. From the town’s standpoint, this was not economically feasible. Brenda, as well as other clerks and officials from around Platte County, met on numerous occasions to discuss the impact this event could have on the water and sewer infrastructure and solid waste. Other concerns included large scale grass fires in the dry late summer and the potential of a terror attack. With the town having little money to fund this event and the state being in a bust cycle from the reduced energy production, it appeared that the town was left to foot the bill and absorb the costs.

Initially, the town invested $35,000 for the event from its General Fund so that they could bring in basic temporary infrastructure, such as portable toilets and wash stations. As a matter of fact, there were as many portable toilets in Glendo as there are residents. Jackie Diehl from the National Solar Observatory helped the town set up a Facebook page, a website and a Go Fund Me site where donations could be made to help the town with funding and inform the public of this great event. With Jackie’s efforts, the town was able to recover all of the money it had invested.

Greg Buchwald from Motorola arranged for a mobile command center to be set up in town so that communications

could be made from one area of town to another and out to the airport. This was a necessity to assure that the event was running smoothly and if any situations were to arise.

Another source that the town utilized was the Wyoming Association of Rural Water Systems. In 2017, leading up to the event, Certified Wastewater Specialist, Mark Court visited the town five times to discuss the potential threat to critical water and sewer infrastructure. He pointed out minimizing access to water sources and to assure that security was in and around the water storage tanks. He also mentioned that fire hydrants are a major potential risk and all of these avenues of a potential terror threat needed to be closely monitored and protected in this community with little law enforcement presence.

On the wastewater side, Court met with Mayor Susan Juschka, Brenda Hagen, and Public Works Director Karl McClure on ways to protect the wastewater infrastructure. Court brought to their attention that with this type of event, it would be easy for someone to do a midnight dump on the wastewater system. He stated that catching someone in the act would be highly unlikely, but if all the manhole lids are strategically placed, the town would know that a dump may have occurred.

He also stated that because the town had 7 lagoon cells and only one was being utilized with some overflow into the next pond, that pond 2 would be a great location to have the portable toilet waste disposed of. Better still, Court stated that this location would also save the town money on disposal costs by reducing travel distances to neighboring

communities of Wheatland or Douglas, approximately 30 miles away. Court said that the lift station must be secured at all times and would require frequent monitoring. Finally, Court also mentioned that there was a potential for a terror threat, and the State was working behind the scenes to do everything in its power to prevent an incident from occurring. With that said, Court said keep a terror threat in the back of your mind and prepare for it but don’t let it consume you.

The eclipse was here and gone and people began to make their mass exodus home. The interstate and secondary highways had bumper to bumper traffic. It has been said that traffic from Glendo back to Denver exceeded 10 hours of drive time for this 200-mile drive. There were no grass fires that occurred. Thankfully, Wyoming experienced a week of rain a week before the eclipse occurred. There were no terror attacks and the people that came were respectful to the locals and their properties. Glendo returned to the quiet little town along Interstate 25 in southeast Wyoming.

According to Hagen, the town population grew to approximately 10,000 to 20,000 people and the majority of the remaining 80,000 to 90,000 came through Glendo on their way to Glendo State Park. This event brought in an

estimated 100,000 people to the Glendo area representing all fifty states and 86 counties.

The water system kept up with the demand and the sewer system operated without a glitch. The local businesses revenue tripled compared to the same timeframe in any typical year. In a typical August, tax revenue received in Glendo ranges from $9,000 to $10,000. August of 2017 brought in $17,000.

A lesson learned from this is that you can never over prepare for an event of this magnitude.

The preparation of an event of this size is like a drill in emergency preparedness, use it to your advantage and learn from it. Get the community, county and state involved with preparation as much as possible. Social media can be your ally or worst enemy. In this case, social media was advantageous for the town. If legitimate organizations are willing to assist you, don’t turn them away. Their services will be of great use. Finally, as Brenda Hagen stated, every penny that the town has spent on Rural Water Annual Membership has been worth it and that it was Great having Wyoming Association of Rural Water Systems on their side in the planning of this event.

It’s winter in Wyoming, and nobody does winter like Wyomingites. Rather than burrowing in and huddling up, there are opportunities galore to get out, have fun, and enjoy the company of our neighbors.

Sundance, Wyoming, will host their Annual Winter Festival on February 17th, 2018. The festival includes sledding, skating, food, crafts, outdoor movies, and all sorts of entertainment. There are fun activities for children of all ages. The events include Nordic ski races, snowshoe races and some not-so-common events, skijoring. Never heard of skijoring? Well, neither had I, but it involves participants either on horseback or skies maneuvering their way through an obstacle course with ski jumps, and downhill bar stool races. You can join the fun in downtown Sundance.

If you have a free weekend in January or February, load up and head to Riverton for the Wild West Winter Carnival. Established in 1986, this carnival has brought fun back to Wyoming’s long winter. Events include ice sculpting, fishing derby, quick draw, crab crack, medallion hunt, hot air balloon rides, kids coin grab, hole-in-one golf, car shows, casino night, coloring contest, quilt fest, and car races.

For the more adventuresome of us, there is the Cody Ice Festival. The goal of this festival is to instruct and inspire climbers at all levels, and to take climbers to the next level. The festival offers world class instruction through ice clinics in one of the exciting ice climbing venues in the world. There are also nightly speakers to inspire both novice and experienced climbers. This year’s event will take place February 8-11th.

Celebrate the wonder of winter in Pinedale at their Winter Carnival February 17th-19th. Enjoy winter activities like ski-joring, cardboard classic sled racing, ice sculpting, ski racing, snowmobile races, live music and a sno-plane expo.

Want music? Then come on over to the Jackson Hole Rendezvous. This is a four day music festival that takes place on downtown Jackson Town Square. It takes place in March and is a celebration of the coming Spring after a long Winter. Just in case Spring hasn’t sprung yet, the music arenas are enclosed outdoor areas. In the past, they have featured bands such as Zac Brown and Uncle Kracker. Great music, great venue, and the Tetons as a backdrop makes for one great celebration.

To fill in the time between festivals, take advantage of other activities. There is just something romantic about the notion of gracefully gliding over the ice on skates. Ice skating and Wyoming Winter just naturally go together. There are ice skating venues all over the state, with indoor rinks located in Laramie, Cheyenne, Jackson, Gillette, Cody, and Casper.

Hallmark has also romanticized sleigh rides in their movies, but you don’t have to be a movie star to enjoy one if you live in Wyoming. There are sleighs being pulled by gorgeous horses throughout the state from Cheyenne to Jackson. I can just hear those sleigh bells jinglin’!

If you want to go gliding through the snow in some other way, there are always dog sleds. This is a unique opportunity to explore all those wide open spaces with virgin snow. “Mush,” away the winter days.

There are also opportunities to snow shoe, downhill ski, cross country ski, snowmobile or simply sit in the wonder of one of Wyoming’s many hot springs.

There is no excuse for cabin fever. Get out there and start enjoying the wonderful Wyoming winter.

Our Western HeritageWinter in Wyoming

by Kathy Weinsaft

It is, after all, part of our western heritage

Scrawny Girl’s Hungry Hiker KitchenScrawny Girl’s Pi Day

by Michelle Christopher

Most of you in Operator Land may think that I am a geek. If you’ve ever attended one of my math classes, you not only think, but are completely convinced that I am a geek! So, in Geek Tradition, I celebrate all holidays involving math. One of my favorite math holidays is Pi Day. A day honoring the number that allows us to calculate the dimensions and volume of round objects, and one of my favorite desserts – what’s not to like? Pi Day is celebrated on the 14th of March (3-14), and I always try to create a dessert that shows my pi love.

A few years ago, John and I planned a spring hiking trip to Dinosaur National Monument over the weekend of Pi Day. What was I to do? Miss out on a delicious celebration, and an excuse to sneak a few more calories into my diet? Not a chance. These turnover style pies are limited only by your imagination, and the room in your food sack. A great addition to any hiker feast!

Trail Pi – This recipe makes four pies

At home: Decide what kind of pie to make. This is the hard part! You can re-hydrate any sort of dried fruit, excluding banana chips, make pudding pies, forage for wild berries if you’re lucky enough… The pie I made for Pi Day was dried cherry chocolate chip, since there’s not a chance of fruit growing in northwest Colorado during March. You will need approximately 1-1/4 cup of filling, so I put ½ cup dried cherries in a resealable baggie, and ½ cup 60% cacao chocolate chips in a separate one. (Rehydrated fruit expands… that’s not a math error.) Combine 1-1/2 c flour and ¼ tsp salt in a resealable baggie. Package 1/3 cup oil or squeezable butterPackage 4 sheets of tinfoil, 12” x 12” or close enough

On the trail: Pour ¼ c warm water over the dried cherries; allow them to sit while you make the dough. The longer these have to rehydrate, the better! Cold water will work, but it will take longer.

Mix oil or butter in baggie with flour and salt. The mixture should resemble coarse cornmeal when it’s ready for the water.

Pour in 3 tablespoons of water. To avoid too much water, I pour capfuls from my water bottle. This is incredibly time consuming, but it sure beats too much water in a hiking world that doesn’t have extra flour!

Divide dough into 4 pieces. Pat, roll, squish the dough into rounds approximately ¼” thick. Divide the cherries and chocolate chips (or whatever filling you’re using) on to the center of the dough rounds. Fold dough in half, roll up like a burrito, do whatever it takes to get the dough sealed around the filling. You don’t want any spills!

Wrap pies in foil and place on grill or coals, turning often. Outdoor temperatures affect cooking times, so you’ll have to peek inside the foil to make sure it’s not getting burned. Regardless, 15-20 minutes should do the trick.

Peel foil back, allow pie to cool, and enjoy!

In the meantime, enjoy the wilds of Wyoming, and if you have a recipe you’d like to share, send it to mchristopher@warws.com.

Krista Johnston, new WyoWarn ChairHi! My name is Krista Johnston and I’m the Sanitary Sew-er/Stormwater manager for the City of Casper and the new chair for WyoWARN. WyoWARN is a statewide/national network of water and wastewater utilities helping each other respond to and recover from emergencies. Check out www.wyowarn.org or shoot me an email for more information. Diane Monahan, the Water Services Manager from Gillette, previously led this invaluable organization; I hope to slowly build upon the success of Diane and the great chairpersons and regional coordinators who have made WyoWARN what it is today. While wastewater, collections, and stormwater are in my wheelhouse, I’m still learning a lot about water treatment and distribution and am happy to take in whatever information you send my way as it pertains to emergency preparedness.

I made my way into the water and wastewater industry just a few years ago because of a managerial vacancy in a com-bined sewer/stormwater division at the City of Casper—much of my prior experience was in stormwater, industrial wastewater, and environmental compliance. The great Col-lections staff at the City of Casper helped me jump in with both feet and deeply understand the collection system in a way I didn’t learn in college. Because of the varied and challenging work, interaction with staff and the public, and the invaluable service we provide to the public, I thoroughly enjoy my job.

Prior to working for the City of Casper, I was an environ-mental compliance manager and project engineer at a local consulting firm. I know, I know, not another dang engi-neer…one of my goals as an engineer in the water and waste-water industry is to ensure that facilities and infrastructure are designed with input from an operations and maintenance perspective. Before my job as a consultant, my husband and I lived in Idaho, and I was the environmental engineer for a semiconductor manufacturing facility—this was my first exposure to industrial wastewater treatment and municipal pre-treatment compliance. It was in this role that I became involved in emergency response planning and emergency management.

When I’m not working, I enjoy traveling throughout the U.S. and beyond, hiking, fly fishing, camping, cooking, and working on home improvement projects. My constant companions are my German Wirehaired Pointers, Gus and Barley, and my husband (when he isn’t away working on industrial projects).

I look forward to working with many of you through Wy-oWARN in ensuring our resiliency in emergencies. kjohn-ston@casperwy.gov

What Can Microbes Do For You?A road warrior’s perspective on the benefits of

Microbiology and the benefits of Bio-Augmentation!

During my last 20 plus years of being in the environmental arena, I have been asked this question hundreds of times. A university professor once said “there is not anything on this planet that some bug won’t eat; we just have to find the right one and get it in high enough populations to get the job done”.

I guess my best response to this question is, “what do you want them to do for you?” In the area of environmental cleanup there probably is not much they cannot do if they have a high enough population (CFU), diversity (SRD) and time. There are a few other requirements, like temperature and pH that can affect the performance of microbiology. If you want something fixed in one day, then microbiology is probably not the solution to your problem. If you can allow days, weeks or months for the solution to work, then using quality microbial solutions may be the least expensive option you can use. If you have other options to try, then why not try the less expensive one first?

Mother Nature has been cleaning up the environment since time began with the use of microbes/bacteria. Although it can take a considerable amount of time for nature to change the environment, we now have the ability to speed up the process. This is done using of Bio-augmentation (adding new or more bacteria to the system) or Bio-stimulation (giving the indigenous bacteria something new to eat). There are times when you should be using either of these methods or both.

Some experts will try to tell you that all the bacteria you need are already in your wastewater system. This is not necessarily true. In order for you to have every bacteria you need, you will need several different inflows. Currently some Old School experts think that you will get all the remediation you need from Human Gut Bacteria (HGB). Again this is not exactly correct.

When you need bacteria for Nitrification, Denitrification, Phosphorous accumulation, cellulose digestion, hydrocarbon reduction (petroleum or food grade), and chemicals such as

fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides, the HGB cannot provide these. In most cases it may require Inflow and Infiltration (IN&I) to provide some of the soil bacteria needed to remediate the above contaminates.

This list does not include some of the other bacteria you will need to breakdown the ever growing list of chemicals from EPA. Chemicals that include Prescription Drugs and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) are being included. This list currently has over 100 chemicals on it. According to Dave Branham from Oregon Rural Water Association, the list includes things like cholesterol, coprostanol and musk.In the world of bacterial remediation your system needs a high species richness diversity (SRD). The reason for this is that in a lot of cases one bug cannot provide total reduction. This is evidenced by the nitrification/denitrification process. A couple species of bacteria convert ammonia to nitrate and others convert nitrate to nitrogen gas. Some of these processes occur aerobically and others require anaerobic or anoxic environments. This process will add to the complexity of bioremediation.

In the arena of biological phosphorus removal the bacteria, the specific types of bacteria called phosphorous accumulating organisms (PAOs) need to be forced to release phosphorous before they will accumulate additional phosphorous. This is accomplished by putting the PAOs through an anaerobic zone and then into an aerobic zone.

What we are trying to do is maximize degradation or removal of contaminates and also control the byproducts of the bacterial process. In a perfect world, the byproducts from biodegradation would be Hydrogen, Oxygen, Water, Enzymes and Amino Acids. The above is true in the biodegradation of Fats, Oils and Grease (FOG) and Petroleum Hydrocarbons, but some compounds are far more complex. These compounds may require a higher SRD or contact time than those for human waste.

I am often amazed at the size and complexity of the bug houses/hotels we engineer to provide a somewhat safe environment for the bacteria to live and do their work. I often find that these engineering marvels are built for bacteria but the designers do not always understand that bacteria are what make the whole thing work. Without bacteria, we would be just moving shit from one place to another without any reduction.

In most cases it is accepted knowledge that if a compound has carbon in the molecular structure it can be changed with bacteria. So how do things really work?

There are many compounds that occur in wastewater, ranging from cellulose materials to chemicals to the dead bacteria that are released from the human gut. All of this material contributes to Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), Nutrients and ultimately solids.

In order to reduce these compounds bacteria are one of the best solutions. The challenge is getting the right bacteria in the right place at the right time with high enough concentrations to reduce the contaminates. This requires environments that allow the bacteria to eat, multiply and grow. This can be done with a simple lagoon system which require a larger foot print or a bug hotel that requires more money to build. I must say that over the years I have seen some really fabulous bug hotels.

Ultimately, in order for bacteria to work they need a food source (sometimes more than one); oxygen if aerobic or no oxygen if anaerobic, contact time or Hydraulic Retention Time

One thing we do know is that bacteria thrive on some solutions better than others. Watch for the second piece of this article in the next issue as we tell you more about why bacteria love Candy Carbon®. If you have any questions, want additional training for your organization or need more assistance, contact me at rick@biolynceus.com

Rick Allen, CEO, GSD, MSU of BioLynceus. If you need more information contact us at 970-586-3391 or by email at sales@biolynceus.com

WYOWARN is a group of Wyoming water and wastewater utilities that cooperatively prepare for the next natural or man-made disaster by bridging political and jurisdictional boundaries through training, protocols and agreements so that utilities can respond to disasters by sharing personnel, tools and equipment.

Why do we need WYOWARN?Water and wasteewater systems provide for public health, sanitation and safety. When water and wastewater systems fail, the well-being of communities quickly deteriorates. Without clean water and ways to remove and treat wastewater, communities become susceptible to disease and illness. The lack of water constrains emergency services such as medical response and fire fighting. In these conditions, people become frustrated and fearful.

Restoring service restores hope and the ability of a community to respond to natural of man-made disasters.Neighboring utilities already have the trained staff familiar with Wyomiing Water Quality Rules and Regulations. They are familiar with western water systems and are already prepared for and accustomed to Wyoming weather. They already have the specialized equipment needed for testing, pumping, or repairs and may have backup supplies of pipe, valves, chemicals, generators, etc., readily available.

While it is already the Wyoming way to lend a hand to our neighbors when they need it, having procedures and responsibilities spelled out ahead of time prepares us for the day when we need it. That is what WYOWARN is about – preparing utilities to help each other in the event of an emergency.

Not a member yet? Join WYOWARN!1. Visit the WYOWARN website at www.WYOWARN.org and click on “Become a WYOWARN member Today!”.2. Download the Wyoming Mutual Aid and Assistance agreement.3. Obtain necessary permissions to sign the Mutual Aid Agreement4. Sign and return the agreement to:

Wyoming Association of Rural Water SystemsPO Box 1750

Glenrock, WY 82637or e-mail a scanned copy to:

markp@warws.com

Stories Along the TrailsAmerica’s First Female Governor

Nellie Tayloe Ross (Part 2) by Mark Court

In the last issue of the “Connection” we discussed the early years of Nellie Tayloe Ross through her husband’s political aspirations into his Governorship.

The Nation’s First Female GovernorOn January 5, 1925, Nellie Tayloe Ross was inaugurated as Governor of Wyoming and the first woman in America to hold such an office. It was a tough time to take office, and even more difficult for a woman in a man’s world. Ross had to deal with draught and banks failing that spread hardship statewide. Also, with the collapse of Wyoming’s farms and ranches and people losing their properties and life savings. The oil boom was coming to an end and beginning to level off. She also had to deal with deadly mining safety issues from the 1923 Kemmerer mine explosion while her husband was governor.

So how would Nellie handle her position with all the State’s problems and a tough opposition from the State Legislature. Immediately, she went to work to prepare for the upcoming Legislative Session that was only a few weeks away. She outlined three of her late husband’s policies that she felt was necessary to help recover the state economy. First and foremost, spending cuts. Next, state loans to help the farm and ranch industry recover. Finally, a need for a strong enforcement of prohibition.

She also proposed eight additional ideas of her own that she felt was necessary to make Wyoming a better place. First, she proposed the requirement for cities, counties and school districts to have budgets. Next, she felt it was important for stronger state laws regulating banks. Third, she wanted to explore better ways to sell Wyoming’s heavy crude oil. Fourth, earmark some state royalties to be put into school districts. Next, she felt it was important to obtain more

funds for the University. Her sixth proposal was to improve safety for coal miners. Next was to protect women in industrial jobs. Her final proposal was to support a proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would cut back on child labor. These ideas came from pure Progressive ideas, but Nellie was the first Governor in Wyoming to back such measures.

Battling the sea of Republican ideology was a challenge for the newly elected Governor. At the end of the Legislative Session, only five of her eleven proposals would pass through. Things may have been different had she previously held public office with a better understanding assuring that lawmakers completely understood what her proposals entailed. One of her greatest accomplishments from the 1925 legislative session was that she was able to ward off legislative attempts to reduce her powers. On February 22, Nellie’s chances of getting new laws passed was over with the closing of the Legislative Session.

In 1926, Nellie ran for re-election. At this point she had a reputation with the Wyoming press, as well as at the national level. This time they were ready to treat her as a regular politician and a true Democrat. Re-election would be challenging since all the newspapers in the state were Republican. The Wyoming Democrats nominated Nellie. She challenged anyone to prove that her performance as

Governor had been any less than it might have been simply because she was female. She also declared that she opposed special interests and that she owed nothing to corporations. At the same time, she showed compassion to the working-class people of Wyoming. She refused to ask people for their vote on the basis that she was female.

The Republicans constantly argued that no matter how well Governor Ross had done, the Office of Governor was no place for a woman. They nominated Frank Emerson to represent the Republican Party and challenge Nellie for the Governor’s Office. At her bid for re-election, Nellie Tayloe Ross lost to her Republican challenger in a very tight race. Of the 70,000 votes that were cast, Governor Ross lost by only 1,365 votes. The 1926 elections did not fare well for the Democrats in Wyoming, as the Republicans took all of the top five state elected offices.

The Post Governor YearsAfter leaving the Office as Wyoming’s and the Nation’s first female Governor, Nellie Tayloe Ross’s political career had just begun. Now, nationally famous, Ross traveled throughout the West and Midwest giving speeches and writing articles for magazines. She would also become a committee member from Wyoming of the Democratic National Committee and later go on to become the vice chair of the DNC. In 1928, she worked with Eleanor Roosevelt heading the Women’s Division efforts by publicly speaking around the nation in efforts to elect the four-time elected Governor of New York, Alfred E. Smith as President. Those efforts failed as Herbert Hoover was elected President in a landslide victory.

Nellie Tayloe Ross would continue her efforts for what she believed in. With the crash of Wall Street on October 29, 1929, her efforts would soon become a much easier task. Americans were financially hurting and jobs were disappearing. The Great Depression had begun bringing America into the darkest days she had ever seen. American’s were desperate and felt that is was time to steer the nation in a new direction. Ross worked diligently for the Democratic Party serving the Women’s Speaker’s Bureau in campaigning for Franklin D. Roosevelt, where he won the Presidency in a landslide victory over incumbent President Herbert Hoover.

After Roosevelt became President, he made it clear that women would be in high positions. He appointed Ross to become the Director of the U.S. Mint. She was extremely successful in her new position where she cut costs while increasing efficiency at the Mint by introducing automated processes, which allowed her to reduce her staff by 75 percent. In 1937, Ross supervised the construction of the U.S. Bullion Depository in Fort Knox, Kentucky and is honored on the cornerstone of the fortified building. Her outstanding performance allowed her to remain at her

post throughout the Roosevelt years and throughout the years of Truman. In 1952, with the election of Dwight D. Eisenhower, Nellie’s time at the Mint came to an end. At the age of 76 and after 27 years in the national public spotlight, 20 at the U.S. Mint, Ross’s political career would come to an end. She became the first woman to have her likeness printed on a medal made by the U.S. Mint. She continued to reside in Washington D.C. until her death on December 19, 1977 at the age of 101. Although her years in the political arena helped mold American History, her greatest role was becoming the first woman in our nation to hold the office of Governor. After her death, Ross was returned to Wyoming where she was buried at the Lakeview Cemetery in Cheyenne.

The following is a reprint from Wyoming Pioneer Woman © 1998 with thanks to Mr. Al Kolman of Rock Springs who is the great-grandson of Pauline Krueger Bayer, the subject of the biography. This book is an authentic, first-hand account at the realities of settling in current Sublette County in the late Nineteenth Century. Regrettably, this reprinted chapter is somewhat edited for length. None of the author’s writing has been changed and is presented verbatim. Some portions were omitted and are marked by an asterisk to help the reader navigate a few otherwise awkward transitions; please know it is a result of shortening and not a reflection of the author. I highly recommend the entire book to anyone interested in such histories.

--Dan Chamberlain

“Living in the southwestern desert of Wyoming, I have a deep appreciation for our water resources, which in our case is wells. I’m a strong believer that water is the most precious natural resource on our planet. Thank you for your commitment and service in this important endeavor.”

--Al Kolman

The First Winter in WyomingPauline was worried about the children. They were pale from too close confinement in the wagon. They were peevish and fussy, and did not sleep well. Then one day she told her husband that she did not wish to go on to Oregon – it had been so hard on the children, this long trip – that she wanted to settle down somewhere. She did not want to bury any of her children along the road, as the other mother had.

Albert did not want to stop in Wyoming. The country was desolate, nothing but sagebrush covered dusty and barren hills as far as the eye could see. How could a man make a living on land such as this? His heart was set on Oregon. Added to Pauline’s desire to stop here in Wyoming, there was also the consideration that their money was all gone, and he would have to make even more frequent stops to work for money to continue.

It would be better to stop now and stay long enough to earn sufficient money to go through to Oregon a little later. And so they waved goodbye to their friends, and said what the

others who had dropped out had said, “We’ll see you in Oregon.”

They never left Wyoming, and never again saw any of their fellow travelers.

They struck off to the north of the Oregon trail and went up Hamsfork. Finally they came to a place that looked good to Albert, and he said, “We’ll camp here for awhile, while I see what work is to be had.”

The first meal that they ate, there where their home was to be for awhile, was eaten beside a big snow drift, though it was mid-July.*

As she went about straightening the house before she went to bed, Pauline was suddenly seized with such a longing for her people back in Kansas that she could scarcely contain herself. The wind whistled around the little cabin, and through the four-paned windows she could see the swirling snowflakes that would make a soft, cold prison for them for many months. Tomorrow, Albert would be gone.

5 8 6 4 1 3 2 9 7

2 7 3 6 8 9 4 1 5

4 9 1 5 7 2 8 3 6

1 5 2 3 4 7 9 6 8

8 3 9 2 5 6 1 7 4

7 6 4 1 9 8 5 2 3

9 1 7 8 6 5 3 4 2

6 2 5 9 3 4 7 8 1

3 4 8 7 2 1 6 5 9

Albert had got work at the Spur ranch, and would leave the next morning. She and the children would be alone for the rest of the winter except when he might be able to pay them a flying visit. Thinking that she was the only thing that stood between her children and the implacable wilderness outside, she felt suddenly lost and afraid.

She realized, however, how lucky he had been to have obtained work at the ranch. It was the largest ranch in that locality, and was owned by eastern capitalists. It ran several thousand cattle and horses.

Pauline must make the food stored in the cabin last till spring. Beside this food, there was a deer which Albert had killed some time before, which was frozen and hanging on the outside of the cabin.

Though she had lived her life in the country, it was a very different life from this. There had always been close neighbors, people to run in and out. Here there were no neighbors, and a harsh relentless nature pressed in on her from all sides. From her little four-paned windows, she looked out on unending snow running whitely up over the hills in the distance. And day after day it was cold – such a raw biting cold as she had never known before.

Each morning the window panes were covered with a thick white fur. The little boys could hardly wait till they had finished their breakfast before they scraped the frost off with their fingernails, and breathed on the glass to make a spot through which they could look out at the frozen world.

When Pauline hung out the baby’s washing each day, the clothes froze in slanted creases before she could get them pinned on the line. The wind blew most of the time, and the clothes, stiff as boards, rattled and creaked dismally as they swung in the breeze.

Each evening she brought them in to finish drying on a line strung across the room, near the stove. The little cabin was damp from the green logs of which it had been built and from the clothes that were always drying. Pauline caught a cold, and for several days it grew steadily worse. One morning

when she awoke, she could scarcely breathe. A dark fear crept out of the corners, and dogged her lagging footsteps all the day. What would happen to the children if she got sick?Her daily familiar duties seemed impossible of accomplishment. She could scarcely make her leaden arms obey her will. As she walked from the stove to the table, and from the table to the baby’s bed, she found herself counting the slow steps, thinking only three steps more, only two steps more, and one step more.

She set the food before the children, and gave the baby, strapped in her homemade highchair, a dish of oatmeal and a spoon. She told Charlie, “Mama doesn’t feel well. You help the baby with her mush.” Then she lay down for a few moments, till the screams of laughter of the children brought her out to find the baby with the bowl of mush held in her chubby hand. She had tipped it upside down on her scanty flaxen hair. Now she had the task of changing all the child’s clothes and washing the gluey mess out of her hair.

She bundled the little boys up, and let them carry in wood till all the space back of the stove was filled with it. This unusual exercise made them drowsy. That afternoon, when the baby slept, the boys slept, too, and Pauline, flushed with fever, thankfully lay down for the rest she so sorely needed.Before she went to bed that night, she did everything she knew to do for her cold. Maybe it would be better in the morning. Maybe, the next day being Sunday, Albert would be home. On these thoughts, she fell asleep.

When she awoke the next morning, it was to find that her remedies of the night before had indeed helped her cold. But she knew immediately that Albert would not be home. Outside, there was such a blizzard as she had never seen. The newly fallen snow, so soft as it lay on the ground the day before, was now picked up by the wind, and turned into icy pellets that pelted the windows like a steady stream of sand. Fine snow sifted in around the window, and powdered the covers on the bed. The little cabin seemed to shiver in the howling wind, and through the window, laboriously cleaned of frost by the boys, nothing by a swirling mass of white was to be see.

Pauline kept the children close to the stove all day. When the wind at last went down with the sun, it left a cloudless sky, and Pauline, though new to the violent and tempestuous Wyoming weather, knew that the night would be as fiercely cold as the day had been stormy. She stayed up hours after the children were fast asleep, feeding the insatiable stove, but the flames roared up the short stove pipe chimney, and the heat was lost in the boundless cold outside.

The next morning, Albert rode home to see how his family had weathered the storm. He stayed long enough to get in more wood from the little grove nearby. He had brought Pauline some skis, and showed her how to use them. She had no horse, and the skis would make it possible to travel, should the need arise for her to leave the cabin.

She went out on the skis for a little while each day. The snow lay in frozen waves, and was crusted by the heavy wind. The going was rough and uneven, and she got a lot of falls, but did finally get so she could ski.

There were many rabbits, and the children enjoyed watching them from the window. They chased each other, and seemed to play games, coming from the edge of a big circle to the middle and hopping out of each other’s way like children playing tag. Pauline was tiring of a steady diet of venison, and determined one day to get rabbits for supper. She took her gun, and went out a little distance from the cabin, traveling on skis through the deep snow. At some distance ahead of her, there was a rabbit hopping leisurely along.

High above, an eagle flew in easy circles, apparently looking for food, too, and his keen eyes saw the moving brown speck on the snow. It was small prey for so large a bird, but food was scarce. The big game had left the country, and eagles must eat. Suddenly the huge bird dropped, and the warning hiss of the falling body came to the rabbit too late for escape. With a scream of terror, the rabbit burrowed into the snow but the eagle fell with terrible force on the hapless animal, driving it deep into the snow.

At just this moment, Pauline slid to a stop beside the huge bird. She was close enough to see the cruel eyes, as the bird stood poised above the rabbit, its wings spread wide. It looked unblinkingly at her, hate in its eyes, as if it expected her to dispute the right to his kill. But the rabbit, buried deep in the snow, was not worth fighting for, and the eagle spread its wings and majestically sailed away. Hardly realizing what she did, Pauline took quick aim, and fired a shot at the soaring bird. She hit one wing, and for a moment, the great bird faltered, then recovered itself, and flew out of range.

And now Pauline turned her attention to the rabbit. She wondered what damage the eagled had done it. It was

nowhere to be seen, but Pauline dug into the snow, and deep down, almost to the ground, she found it, limp and dead. The back had been broken by the impact of the bird’s body. She carried it home, reflecting as she went that she had never known the rabbits could utter a sound till she heard this one scream.

To be continued in the next issue...

1. b 2. c3. d4. a5. d6. a

7. d8. b – 1500/(40x20) the 7 feet depth is unnecessary.9. c10. c

Answers to ‘Operator’s Corner

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