North Block Tailings Impoundment Dam
North Block Tailings Impoundment Dam is an earth dam located in Eureka County, Nevada, built in 1993. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About North Block Tailings Impoundment Dam
The primary purpose of North Block Tailings Impoundment 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 520 feet tall and stretches 16,200 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 611 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 160,692 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1993, the structure is 33 years old.
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 05/13/2020.
At 520 feet, this dam is taller than 99% 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 Nevada 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 | Nevada |
| County | Eureka |
| Nearest City | Dunphy |
| River/Stream | Rodeo Creek-os |
| Coordinates | 40.99720, -116.36830 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 520 ft |
| Dam Height | 520 ft |
| Dam Length | 16,200 ft |
| Year Completed | 1993 (33 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 160,692 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 160,692 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 156,430 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 611 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 10 cfs |
| Spillway Type | None |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Tailings |
| Owner | NEVADA GOLD MINES LLC |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Rated |
| Last Inspection | 05/13/2020 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NV10414 |
| Federal ID | NV10414 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |