Butte Lagoon Wastewater Treatment Plant, McLean County, North Dakota

Butte Lagoon is a wastewater treatment facility located in McLean County, North Dakota, United States. The plant serves a small population of 68 residents, reflecting its role as a local municipal treatment system in a rural area. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required under the US Clean Water Act for municipal wastewater. Secondary treatment typically involves biological processes to remove organic matter and suspended solids. The plant has a designed capacity of 37.85 million gallons per day and currently discharges 26.50 million gallons per day, indicating operational capacity below its design limit. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Missouri River basin. The Missouri River flows into the Mississippi River and then to the Gulf of Mexico. The plant's operations are subject to state and federal regulations to protect downstream water quality and aquatic ecosystems.

Butte Lagoon discharges into the Missouri River basin, which flows into the Mississippi River and eventually the Gulf of Mexico. The local watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is an important migratory corridor for birds. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient and organic pollution, protecting downstream water quality in this ecologically sensitive region.