Hoodoo Harvard Wastewater System - Secondary Treatment Plant in Harvard, Idaho

Hoodoo Harvard Wastewater System is a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Harvard, Latah County, Idaho, United States. It serves a small population of approximately 86 residents, reflecting its role as a local facility for a rural community. The plant is situated in the Palouse region, characterized by rolling hills and agricultural land. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment process required by the U.S. Clean Water Act for most municipal facilities. With a designed capacity of 79.49 million gallons per day and a current discharge volume of 45.43 million gallons per day, the plant operates well within its capacity. Under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), plants of this scale are typically permitted by the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality to ensure compliance with water quality standards. The treated effluent is discharged into nearby streams that drain into the Palouse River, a tributary of the Snake River, which ultimately flows into the Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean. This watershed supports diverse aquatic life and agricultural irrigation, making the plant's treatment performance important for downstream ecosystems and human uses.

The plant discharges into local tributaries of the Palouse River, which flows into the Snake River and then the Columbia River, reaching the Pacific Ocean. The Palouse River basin supports a mix of agricultural and natural habitats, including critical spawning grounds for salmon and steelhead. The region's seasonal precipitation patterns and agricultural runoff can affect water quality, making consistent secondary treatment essential for protecting downstream aquatic ecosystems.