Nome Lagoon Wastewater Treatment Plant, Nome, North Dakota

Nome Lagoon is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Nome, Thordenskjold Township, Barnes County, North Dakota. The plant serves a small population of 62 residents, providing secondary treatment for domestic wastewater. As a lagoon-based system, it is typical for rural communities in the Great Plains region. The plant has a designed capacity of 37.85 million liters per day and discharges a similar volume, indicating full utilization. Secondary treatment is the minimum standard required under the US Clean Water Act for municipal plants, ensuring removal of biodegradable organic matter and suspended solids. The facility is likely regulated under an EPA NPDES permit issued by the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality. The treated effluent is discharged into local surface waters, likely tributaries of the Sheyenne River or the James River, which ultimately drain into the Red River of the North and then into Lake Winnipeg. This watershed supports agricultural runoff and diverse aquatic life, making proper treatment essential for downstream water quality.

The plant discharges into a small water body within the Red River of the North basin, which flows north into Lake Winnipeg in Canada. This watershed is part of the Prairie Pothole Region, an ecologically sensitive area that provides critical habitat for migratory waterfowl and supports diverse wetland species. The secondary treatment helps reduce nutrient loading, which is important for preventing eutrophication in downstream lakes and rivers.