DODGE SD 1 STP - Secondary Wastewater Treatment in Town of Buffalo, Wisconsin

DODGE SD 1 STP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in the Town of Buffalo, Buffalo County, Wisconsin. The plant serves a small population of 200 residents and operates as part of the region's decentralized wastewater infrastructure. Its location in rural Wisconsin places it within the Upper Mississippi River Basin, a major watershed draining into the Gulf of Mexico. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required under the U.S. Clean Water Act for municipal facilities. With a designed capacity of 71.92 m³/day and a current discharge volume of 30.28 m³/day, the plant operates well below its capacity, indicating room for future growth. As a small facility, it is likely regulated under Wisconsin's Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (WPDES), which implements federal NPDES requirements. The treated effluent from the plant ultimately drains into the Mississippi River via local tributaries, contributing to the river's flow and nutrient load. The Mississippi River supports diverse aquatic life and is a critical migratory corridor for birds and fish. Downstream, the river discharges into the Gulf of Mexico, where nutrient pollution contributes to seasonal hypoxic zones. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce organic pollutants but may not fully address nutrient removal, a growing concern in the basin.

The plant discharges into local streams that flow into the Mississippi River, a major North American waterway that drains into the Gulf of Mexico. The Mississippi River supports a wide range of aquatic species and serves as an important migratory route for waterfowl and fish. Downstream, nutrient inputs from wastewater and agriculture contribute to the Gulf of Mexico's hypoxic zone, making nutrient management a key ecological consideration for plants in this basin.