Des Lacs Lagoon Wastewater Treatment Plant, Des Lacs, North Dakota

Des Lacs Lagoon is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Des Lacs, North Dakota, serving a small population of 204 residents. The plant is situated in Ward County, near the Canadian border, and operates as a lagoon system providing secondary treatment. As a small-scale facility, it is part of the rural wastewater infrastructure typical of the northern Great Plains region. The plant employs secondary treatment, which is the standard level required under the U.S. Clean Water Act for municipal wastewater. With a designed capacity of 75.71 megaliters and an annual discharge volume of 37.85 megaliters, the facility operates well below its capacity, indicating adequate headroom for current demand. The plant's discharge is regulated under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, administered by the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality. The treated effluent from Des Lacs Lagoon is discharged into local waterways that ultimately drain into the Souris River basin. The Souris River flows north into Canada, eventually reaching Hudson Bay. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and is an important migratory corridor for waterfowl. The plant's secondary treatment helps protect downstream water quality in this ecologically sensitive region.

Des Lacs Lagoon discharges into the Souris River basin, which flows northward through North Dakota and into Manitoba, Canada, eventually reaching Hudson Bay. This watershed supports a variety of aquatic species and serves as a critical habitat for migratory birds along the Central Flyway. The plant's secondary treatment helps maintain water quality in this sensitive prairie ecosystem.