The Ohio Valley Coal Slurry Disposal Dam
The Ohio Valley Coal Slurry Disposal Dam is an earth dam located in Belmont County, Ohio, built in 1981. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About The Ohio Valley Coal Slurry Disposal Dam
The primary purpose of The Ohio Valley Coal Slurry Disposal 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 Ohio Valley Coal Resources, Inc.(ovcri). It impounds the Tributary To Captina Creek near Alledonia.
The dam stands 275 feet tall and stretches 850 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 292 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 30,746 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1981, the structure is 45 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 09/25/2000. That was 25 years ago — unusually long for a high-hazard dam, which typically requires more frequent inspections.
At 275 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 Ohio 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 | Ohio |
| County | Belmont |
| Nearest City | Alledonia |
| River/Stream | Tributary To Captina Creek |
| Coordinates | 39.91972, -80.99111 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 275 ft |
| Dam Height | 275 ft |
| Dam Length | 850 ft |
| Year Completed | 1981 (45 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 30,746 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 30,746 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 28,669 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 292 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 154 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Tailings |
| Owner | Ohio Valley Coal Resources, Inc.(OVCRI) |
| Owner Type | Not Listed |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Rated |
| Last Inspection | 09/25/2000 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | OH01099 |
| Federal ID | OH01099 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |