Fort Peck Lagoons Wastewater Treatment Plant, Montana

Fort Peck Lagoons is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Fort Peck, Montana, serving a small population of 250 residents. The plant is situated in Valley County, near the Missouri River, and operates as a lagoon-based secondary treatment system. As a small agglomeration in the United States, the facility is subject to the Clean Water Act and state-level permitting under the EPA's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). The plant has a designed capacity of 90.85 volume units and treats wastewater to secondary treatment level, which is the minimum standard required by the Clean Water Act for municipal discharges. Lagoon systems typically involve stabilization ponds that provide biological treatment through natural processes. The plant's discharge volume matches its capacity, indicating full utilization. The treated effluent from Fort Peck Lagoons ultimately reaches the Missouri River, a major tributary of the Mississippi River system. The Missouri River supports diverse aquatic life and provides critical habitat for fish species such as pallid sturgeon and paddlefish. The plant's discharge contributes to the river's flow, and its secondary treatment helps protect downstream water quality in this ecologically significant watershed.

Fort Peck Lagoons discharges into the Missouri River basin, which flows into the Mississippi River and eventually the Gulf of Mexico. The Missouri River in this region supports a variety of fish and wildlife, including migratory birds and endangered species like the pallid sturgeon. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient and organic loads, mitigating potential impacts on downstream ecosystems.