Pine Haven Lagoon Wastewater Treatment Plant, Pine Haven, Wyoming

Pine Haven Lagoon is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located near Keyhole Airport in Pine Haven, Crook County, Wyoming. The plant serves a small community of about 490 people, reflecting the rural character of the area. As a lagoon-based system, it provides secondary treatment to meet state and federal standards. The plant has a designed capacity of 533.74 cubic meters per day and currently discharges a daily volume of 378.54 cubic meters. Under the U.S. Clean Water Act, facilities of this scale are typically permitted through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), administered by the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality. Secondary treatment is the standard requirement for municipal plants, ensuring removal of organic matter and suspended solids. The treated effluent from Pine Haven Lagoon is discharged into the Belle Fourche River watershed, which flows through northeastern Wyoming and into South Dakota. This water body supports local agriculture, wildlife, and recreational activities. Proper treatment helps protect downstream water quality and the ecological health of the Belle Fourche River system.

Pine Haven Lagoon discharges into the Belle Fourche River watershed, a tributary of the Cheyenne River that ultimately flows into the Missouri River. The region is semi-arid, and the river supports diverse aquatic life, including fish species such as channel catfish and walleye. The plant's secondary treatment helps maintain water quality for downstream uses, including irrigation and habitat.