On a freezing, early morning, a solar-powered windmill powers the pump that brings water to the surface for cattle on a ranch in Southeastern Montana. The power plant 5 miles away in Colstrip is dependent on water to both fuel and cool the steam generators and to flush out its waste products. Since it is located in a dry area, two pipelines have been built to tap into the Yellowstone River, 30 miles north. The plant consumes nearly 22,000 gallons of water every minute.
