A-a Tails Dam
A-a Tails Dam is an earth dam located in Eureka County, Nevada, built in 1989. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About A-a Tails Dam
The primary purpose of A-a Tails 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 Nevada Gold Mines Llc (private). It impounds the Rodeo Creek-os near Dunphy.
The dam stands 220 feet tall and stretches 5,667 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 190 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 17,054 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1989, the structure is 37 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 fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 05/13/2020.
At 220 feet, this dam is taller than 99% of all dams in the United States.
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Location
| State | Nevada |
| County | Eureka |
| Nearest City | Dunphy |
| River/Stream | Rodeo Creek-os |
| Coordinates | 40.98420, -116.35050 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 220 ft |
| Dam Height | 220 ft |
| Dam Length | 5,667 ft |
| Year Completed | 1989 (37 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 17,054 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 17,054 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 17,054 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 190 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 5 cfs |
| Spillway Type | None |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Tailings |
| Owner | NEVADA GOLD MINES LLC |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 05/13/2020 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NV10238 |
| Federal ID | NV10238 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |