Broken Aro Slurry Pond No. 1 Dam

About Broken Aro Slurry Pond No. 1 Dam

The primary purpose of Broken Aro Slurry Pond No. 1 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 Odnr, Division Of Wildlife (state). It impounds the Tributary To Mill Fork near Dresden.

The dam stands 49 feet tall and stretches 705 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 6 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 124 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1962, 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 poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. The most recent inspection on record was 12/12/2023.

At 49 feet, this dam is taller than 92% of dams nationwide.

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