White Pine Mine North Tailings Dam #1
White Pine Mine North Tailings Dam #1 is an earth dam located in Ontonagon County, Michigan, built in 1970. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About White Pine Mine North Tailings Dam #1
The primary purpose of White Pine Mine North Tailings Dam #1 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 Inmet Mining Company (private). It impounds the Bedell Creek near Silver City.
The dam stands 30 feet tall and stretches 450 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 19 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 255 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 9 square miles. Completed in 1970, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
This dam has a low hazard potential classification, meaning that failure would cause minimal damage, limited primarily to the dam owner's property, with no expected loss of life. Its condition is rated satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 05/15/2019.
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Location
| State | Michigan |
| County | Ontonagon |
| Nearest City | Silver City |
| River/Stream | Bedell Creek |
| Coordinates | 46.77833, -89.55333 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 30 ft |
| Dam Height | 30 ft |
| Dam Length | 450 ft |
| Year Completed | 1970 (56 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 255 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 255 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 229 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 19 acres |
| Drainage Area | 9 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 200 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Tailings |
| Owner | INMET Mining Company |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 05/15/2019 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MI00702 |
| Federal ID | MI00702 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |