Larrabee WWTP - Secondary Treatment Plant in Cherokee County, Iowa

Larrabee WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Cherokee County, Iowa, United States. The plant serves a small population of 175 residents, reflecting its role in a rural community. It operates under the regulatory framework of the US Clean Water Act, which governs wastewater discharges through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard level required for most municipal facilities in the United States. Its designed capacity is 75.71 thousand cubic meters, with an actual discharge volume of 37.85 thousand cubic meters, indicating moderate utilization. As a small facility, it is subject to state-level oversight by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The treated effluent from Larrabee WWTP is discharged into local waterways 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 water quality in the region's agricultural landscape, where nutrient management is a critical environmental concern.

The plant discharges into streams within the Missouri River watershed, which flows into the Mississippi River and then the Gulf of Mexico. This region is part of the larger Mississippi River basin, known for nutrient runoff issues that contribute to the Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce organic pollutants and suspended solids, supporting local aquatic life and downstream water quality.