New Rockford Lagoon Wastewater Treatment Plant, Eddy County, North Dakota

New Rockford Lagoon is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Eddy County, North Dakota, United States. The plant serves a population of around 1,391 residents, typical of a small rural community in the Great Plains region. It operates as a lagoon system providing secondary treatment, a common approach for small agglomerations in the northern United States. The plant's designed capacity is approximately 416 cubic meters per day, with a reported discharge volume of 416.4 cubic meters per day, indicating near-full utilization. As a US facility, it operates under the Clean Water Act and is subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality. These permits set effluent limits to protect water quality in receiving streams. The treated effluent from New Rockford Lagoon discharges into local surface waters that eventually drain into the Sheyenne River, a tributary of the Red River of the North. The Red River flows north into Lake Winnipeg in Canada, forming part of the Hudson Bay drainage basin. The plant plays a critical role in preventing nutrient and pathogen pollution in these downstream waters, which support diverse aquatic life and are used for recreation and agriculture.

The plant discharges into local streams that feed the Sheyenne River, which flows into the Red River of the North and ultimately reaches Lake Winnipeg in Canada. This watershed is part of the larger Hudson Bay drainage basin. The region's flat terrain and cold winters create unique challenges for wastewater treatment, including seasonal lagoon performance. Downstream waters support fish species such as walleye and northern pike, and the area is an important migratory corridor for waterfowl.