Empire Mine Tailings Basin Dam
Empire Mine Tailings Basin Dam is an earth dam located in Marquette County, Michigan, built in 1975. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Empire Mine Tailings Basin Dam
The primary purpose of Empire Mine Tailings Basin 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 Empire Iron Mining Partnership (private). It impounds the Green Creek near Gwinn.
The dam stands 163 feet tall and stretches 27,800 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 940 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 117,000 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 5 square miles. Completed in 1975, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in 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 09/30/2019.
At 163 feet, this dam is taller than 99% of all dams in the United States.
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Location
| State | Michigan |
| County | Marquette |
| Nearest City | Gwinn |
| River/Stream | Green Creek |
| Coordinates | 46.38667, -87.63333 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 163 ft |
| Dam Height | 163 ft |
| Dam Length | 27,800 ft |
| Year Completed | 1975 (51 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 117,000 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 117,000 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 10,000 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 940 acres |
| Drainage Area | 5 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 80 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Tailings |
| Owner | Empire Iron Mining Partnership |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 09/30/2019 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MI00719 |
| Federal ID | MI00719 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |