An apparatus and a method for receiving sand-laden manure from a vacuum truck in a duty cycle begins by collecting water issuing through a flume valve in a mixing basin. The mixing basin includes a metering bulkhead which forms a weir having a weir height and includes a sand gate. The bulkhead impounds a pool of water to fill the mixing basin at least to the weir height, separating the mixing basin from a sand settling lane vestibule. The impounded water is present to receive a manure payload from the vacuum truck. Water issuing through a flume valve mixes with the received sand-laden manure to form a manure suspension. Water flow through the flume valve is interrupted once a selected volume of water and manure suspension has passed over the weir. Opening the sand gate releases the impounded manure suspension, water and settled sand to flow into the vestibule.