Overview
Bear Lake SSD is a secondary treatment plant serving Garden City, Utah, with a capacity of 1,514 m³/day. It discharges treated wastewater into the Bear Lake watershed, an important alpine lake ecosystem.
Bear Lake SSD is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Garden City, Utah, serving a population of approximately 1,791 residents. The plant is situated near the shores of Bear Lake, a large natural lake straddling the Utah-Idaho border, and operates under the regulatory framework of the US Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment for municipal discharges. The plant employs secondary treatment processes, meeting the standard level required for inland freshwater systems. With a designed capacity of 1,514 m³/day and an average daily discharge of 416 m³/day, the facility operates well below its capacity, indicating reserve for future growth. As a small-scale plant, it is subject to EPA National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting, administered by the Utah Department of Environmental Quality. The treated effluent is discharged into Bear Lake, a high-elevation lake known for its turquoise waters and unique aquatic species, including the Bonneville cisco and Bear Lake whitefish. The lake drains via the Bear River into the Great Salt Lake, making the plant's discharge part of a larger watershed that supports migratory birds and regional agriculture. Proper treatment is critical to prevent nutrient loading and protect the lake's sensitive ecology.
Environmental context
Bear Lake SSD discharges into Bear Lake, a deep, oligotrophic lake at 1,805 m elevation, which is part of the Bear River watershed. The Bear River flows into the Great Salt Lake, a terminal saline lake of hemispheric importance for migratory waterfowl. The lake's clear waters support endemic fish species and a recreational fishery. Nutrient inputs from wastewater must be carefully managed to avoid algal blooms and maintain water quality in this sensitive alpine ecosystem.
Frequently asked questions
Bear Lake SSD is located in Garden City, Utah, on North Bear Lake Boulevard, near the eastern shore of Bear Lake in Rich County.
The plant serves a population of approximately 1,791 residents in the Garden City area, including seasonal visitors to the Bear Lake recreation area.
The plant discharges treated effluent into Bear Lake, a natural lake that drains via the Bear River into the Great Salt Lake. The discharge is regulated under an EPA NPDES permit.
Bear Lake SSD provides secondary treatment, which is the standard required by the US Clean Water Act for municipal wastewater plants discharging to freshwater bodies.
As a small municipal plant in the US, Bear Lake SSD operates under the Clean Water Act and is subject to NPDES permitting, typically administered by the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, with effluent limits to protect Bear Lake water quality.
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