 To many Wyomingites, hydropower conjures up images of giant dams on the North Platte or Wind River, but hydropower comes in many sizes. Small hydropower, where a system produces enough electricity from one to several hundred homes, is seeing increased interest. Here at the municipally-owned Buffalo Hydroelectric Facility, raw water is diverted from Clear Creek on its way to the water treatment plant. The town of Buffalo cost-effectively installed a hydroelectric turbine to reduce pressure before the water enters the treatment plant. The amount of energy that can be extracted from water depends upon the head, which is the elevation the water falls, and the flow or the amount of water. The Buffalo Facility has a capacity of 225 kilowatts, which powers nearly 200 typical homes. The average flow of 6.3 cubic feet per second falls the equivalent of 530 vertical feet. Other entities across Wyoming also use small hydro. Lower Valley Energy, a rural electric cooperative in the western part of the state, operates two small hydroelectric facilities. New small hydroelectric systems are being considered at places where water infrastructure already exists, meaning no new dams. Wyoming's working waters can do more than just provide a cold drink or irrigate alfalfa. Many can also produce a significant amount of electricity. From the University of Wyoming Extension, I'm Milton Geiger, Exploring the Nature of Wyoming.