Bearcreek Wastewater Treatment Plant, Bearcreek, Montana | USA

Bearcreek wastewater treatment plant is a small municipal facility located in Bearcreek, Carbon County, Montana, United States. Serving a population of 72, it is one of the smallest treatment plants in the region, reflecting the rural character of the community. The plant is situated in the foothills of the Beartooth Mountains, part of the larger Yellowstone River watershed. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required by the US Clean Water Act for municipal wastewater. With a designed capacity of 37.85 megaliters per year and an actual discharge volume of 30.28 megaliters, the facility operates below its capacity. As a US plant of this scale, it is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality, ensuring compliance with water quality standards. The treated effluent is discharged into a local watercourse that ultimately drains into the Yellowstone River, a major tributary of the Missouri-Mississippi river system. The Yellowstone River supports diverse aquatic life, including native fish species such as Yellowstone cutthroat trout. The plant's operations help protect downstream water quality in this ecologically important basin.

The plant discharges into a tributary of the Yellowstone River, which flows north through Montana before joining the Missouri River. The Yellowstone River basin supports a variety of wildlife and is a critical habitat for native fish species. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient and pathogen loads, protecting the river's ecological health in a region known for its pristine natural environment.