McHenry Lagoon Wastewater Treatment Plant, McHenry, North Dakota

McHenry Lagoon is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in McHenry, Foster County, North Dakota. Serving a small population of 56 residents, the plant provides secondary treatment for the community's wastewater. The facility is situated inland, far from coastal areas, and operates as a lagoon system typical of small rural communities in the region. The plant has a designed capacity of 37.85 megaliters per year and currently discharges a similar volume, indicating full utilization. As a secondary treatment facility, it meets the standard requirements under the U.S. Clean Water Act, which mandates secondary treatment for municipal wastewater. The plant is likely regulated under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program administered by the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality. The treated effluent from McHenry Lagoon is discharged into local surface waters that drain into the James River basin, ultimately flowing into the Missouri River and then the Mississippi River system. The surrounding area is primarily agricultural, and the plant plays a key role in protecting local water quality and downstream ecosystems from nutrient pollution.

The plant discharges into local streams that are part of the James River watershed, which flows south into the Missouri River. The Missouri River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River, eventually reaching the Gulf of Mexico. The region's agricultural land use means that nutrient management is critical to prevent eutrophication in downstream water bodies. The plant's secondary treatment helps reduce organic load and suspended solids, supporting aquatic life in the receiving waters.