Paradise Peak Tails Dam

About Paradise Peak Tails Dam

The primary purpose of Paradise Peak 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 Fmc (private). It impounds the Unnamed Wash.

The dam stands 130 feet tall and stretches 3,600 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 230 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 8,300 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1986, the structure is 40 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 unsatisfactory, indicating serious safety deficiencies exist that require immediate attention or remedial action. The most recent inspection on record was 10/16/2018.

At 130 feet, this dam is taller than 99% of all dams in the United States.

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