Colfax Lagoon Wastewater Treatment Plant, Colfax, North Dakota

Colfax Lagoon is a wastewater treatment facility located in Colfax, North Dakota, serving a population of 121 residents. The plant is situated in the rural Red River Valley region of eastern North Dakota, near the border with Minnesota. As a small-scale municipal facility, it plays a key role in managing local wastewater for this agricultural community. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment process for removing organic matter and suspended solids. With a designed capacity of 75.71 units and an average discharge volume of 37.85 units, the facility operates well within its capacity. Under the US Clean Water Act, such plants are regulated through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, which sets effluent limits to protect water quality. The treated effluent from Colfax Lagoon likely discharges to a local waterway that drains into the Red River of the North, which flows northward into Lake Winnipeg in Canada. This watershed is part of the larger Hudson Bay drainage basin. The Red River Valley is known for its flat terrain and fertile agricultural land, and the river supports diverse aquatic life and migratory birds.

The treated effluent from Colfax Lagoon likely enters a tributary of the Red River of the North, which flows north through North Dakota and Minnesota into Manitoba, Canada, ultimately reaching Lake Winnipeg. This watershed is ecologically significant as it supports a variety of fish species and provides habitat for waterfowl along the Central Flyway. The flat, agricultural landscape means that nutrient runoff can be a concern, making proper wastewater treatment important for maintaining downstream water quality.