Overview
Lame Deer WWTF Lagoon is a secondary treatment plant serving 2,300 people in Lame Deer, Montana. It discharges treated wastewater into the local watershed, operating under US EPA and Montana DEQ regulations.
The Lame Deer Wastewater Treatment Facility Lagoon serves the community of Lame Deer, Montana, located in Rosebud County on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation. This municipal plant provides secondary treatment for a population of approximately 2,300 residents, reflecting the scale of a small rural agglomeration. As a secondary treatment facility, the plant employs biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids, meeting the standard requirements under the US Clean Water Act. The plant has a designed capacity of 946.35 megaliters per year and currently treats an average daily flow of 870.65 megaliters per year, indicating near-capacity operation. Discharge is managed through a lagoon system, which is common for small communities in the region. The plant's treated effluent is released into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Tongue River and then the Yellowstone River system. This waterway supports diverse aquatic life and provides water for agricultural and recreational uses downstream. The facility plays a key role in protecting water quality in this semi-arid region of southeastern Montana.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the Tongue River watershed, a tributary of the Yellowstone River, which flows into the Missouri River and eventually the Mississippi River system. The receiving waters support a variety of fish species, including cold-water fisheries, and are used for irrigation and livestock watering. The region's semi-arid climate makes maintaining water quality critical for both ecological health and human use.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located on Cheyenne Avenue in Lame Deer, Montana, within the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation in Rosebud County.
The plant serves approximately 2,300 residents of Lame Deer and the surrounding area.
The plant uses a lagoon system for secondary treatment and discharges treated effluent into the local watershed, which drains into the Tongue River.
The plant operates under the US Clean Water Act, with permits issued by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality, which sets effluent limits for secondary treatment.
Small communities in the US commonly use lagoon systems or package plants for secondary treatment, as required by the Clean Water Act, to reduce organic pollutants and protect receiving waters.
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