Refinery Upground West Reservoir
Refinery Upground West Reservoir is an earth dam located in Allen County, Ohio, built in 1968. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Refinery Upground West Reservoir
The primary purpose of Refinery Upground West Reservoir 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 Lima Refining Company. It impounds the Ottawa River - Offstream near Allentown.
The dam stands 9 feet tall and stretches 1,500 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 15 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 152 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1968, 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 satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. The most recent inspection on record was 06/08/2022.
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Location
| State | Ohio |
| County | Allen |
| Nearest City | Allentown |
| River/Stream | Ottawa River - Offstream |
| Coordinates | 40.72083, -84.13250 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 9 ft |
| Dam Height | 9 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,500 ft |
| Year Completed | 1968 (58 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 152 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 152 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 90 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 15 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 1,231 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Tailings |
| Owner | Lima Refining Company |
| Owner Type | Not Listed |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 06/08/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | OH00527 |
| Federal ID | OH00527 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |