McGehee WWTP - Advanced Wastewater Treatment in McGehee, Arkansas

McGehee WWTP is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in McGehee, Arkansas, a small city in Desha County. The plant serves a population of about 4,219 people, reflecting its role in managing domestic wastewater for this inland community. As an advanced treatment plant, it employs processes that go beyond secondary treatment to achieve higher effluent quality. The plant operates under the U.S. Clean Water Act, which requires NPDES permits for all discharges. Facilities of this scale typically have permits issued by the Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment - Division of Environmental Quality. The plant's designed capacity of 2,271.24 million gallons per year indicates it can handle significant flow variations, though current discharge volume is 121.13 million gallons annually. The treated effluent from McGehee WWTP ultimately enters the Mississippi River Basin, as the city lies within the Arkansas River watershed. The plant's advanced treatment helps protect downstream water quality in the region's rivers and streams, which support diverse aquatic life and are used for recreation and water supply. Proper treatment is essential for maintaining the ecological health of the Mississippi River system.

McGehee WWTP discharges into local waterways that drain into the Arkansas River, a major tributary of the Mississippi River. The Mississippi River Basin is one of the largest watersheds in North America, supporting extensive aquatic biodiversity and providing critical habitat for migratory fish and waterfowl. Advanced treatment at this plant helps reduce nutrient loading and other pollutants, protecting downstream ecosystems in the Mississippi River Delta and the Gulf of Mexico.