The odor coming from the lake at LaBonte Park is causing quite the stink, as the City of Laramie tries to find a remedy for the situation.

Laramie Live reached out to City of Laramie Parks and Recreation Director Todd Feezer to find out what’s happening. Laramie Live has received some recent inquiries via our “Ask The City” feature, as well as emails and phone calls.

Feezer explained to Laramie Live that the ‘Solar Bee’ unit the City utilizes is fully functional in the lake. It’s intended to circulate cool water from the bottom of the lake to the top to help with sediment build-up.

Feezer said,

“The warm summer temperatures have made the shallow lake become one temp from top to bottom. This means no cool water is being circulated, and thus the sulfur dioxide smell coming off the lake has become more and more prominent.”

He stated that the sediment has floated to the top and is giving off that smell that residents are noticing.

Feezer also mentioned that since the lake is shallow, it really needs to be redone to fully and effectively eliminate the smell. He added that, “the lake is part of the storm water system and other chemicals can wash in to the lake, like nitrogen from fertilizers, which also contributes to the smell.”

He added there hasn’t been enough of an influx of cool water to diminish the smell. The City is aware of the issue and investigating potential products to try and solve the problem. Feezer suggested one solution would be to dredge the lake in the future, though that might be difficult with the budget crunch the City of Laramie is experiencing.

Parks and Recreation Director Todd Feezer will join David Settle during the “Laramie Live on KOWB” morning show. Feezer is also willing to take calls from any interested listeners. His appearance is set for Monday, July 24 at 8:40 a.m.

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