Sugar Camp/mine 1/north Refuse Disposal Facility Dam

About Sugar Camp/mine 1/north Refuse Disposal Facility Dam

The primary purpose of Sugar Camp/mine 1/north Refuse Disposal Facility Dam is tailings. Tailings dams contain waste material from mining operations — typically a slurry of finely ground rock left over after valuable minerals have been extracted. These structures require ongoing monitoring because tailings can contain heavy metals and other contaminants. The dam is owned by Sugar Camp Energy (private). It impounds the Sugarcamp Creek.

The dam stands 117 feet tall and stretches 22,800 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 523 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 25,431 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles.

This dam carries a high hazard potential classification, which means that a failure or uncontrolled release of water would likely cause loss of human life. This classification reflects the consequences of failure, not the likelihood — it indicates that people live or work in the area downstream. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 03/18/2025.

At 117 feet, this dam is taller than 98% of all dams in the United States.

Living Downstream

If you live or work downstream of this dam, consider taking these steps: learn your local evacuation routes, check whether your county emergency management office has a dam failure inundation map, and sign up for local emergency alerts. The Illinois dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.

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