Hibbing Taconite Reclaim Pond
Hibbing Taconite Reclaim Pond is an earth dam located in St. Louis County, Minnesota. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Hibbing Taconite Reclaim Pond
The primary purpose of Hibbing Taconite Reclaim Pond 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 Hibbing Taconite Company (private). It impounds the Shannon River-tr near Chisholm.
The dam stands 100 feet tall and stretches 7,104 feet across, has a maximum storage capacity of 75,000 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 3 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 08/15/2024.
At 100 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 Minnesota dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Minnesota |
| County | St. Louis |
| Nearest City | Chisholm |
| River/Stream | Shannon River-tr |
| Coordinates | 47.53048, -92.97146 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 100 ft |
| Dam Height | 100 ft |
| Dam Length | 7,104 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 75,000 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 75,000 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 25,000 acre-ft |
| Drainage Area | 3 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Tailings |
| Owner | Hibbing Taconite Company |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Last Inspection | 08/15/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MN00666 |
| Federal ID | MN00666 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |