ELK CREEK WWTP - Johnson County, Nebraska Wastewater Treatment Plant

ELK CREEK WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Johnson County, Nebraska, United States. The plant serves a small population of 142 residents, reflecting its role in a rural community. As a secondary treatment plant, it provides biological treatment to reduce organic matter and suspended solids before discharge. The plant operates under the U.S. Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment for municipal wastewater. The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program governs its discharge, ensuring compliance with water quality standards. The plant's designed capacity is 75.71 volume units, matching its current discharge volume, indicating it operates at full capacity. The treated effluent is released into local streams that drain into the Missouri River basin, ultimately reaching the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. The plant plays a key role in protecting downstream water quality in this agriculturally intensive region, supporting aquatic life and recreational uses.

The plant discharges into small streams in the Nemaha River watershed, which flows into the Missouri River. The Missouri River then joins the Mississippi River, draining into the Gulf of Mexico. The region's aquatic ecosystems support diverse fish and wildlife, and the plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient loading that could contribute to hypoxia in the Gulf.