Hamilton Lime Sludge Lagoon

About Hamilton Lime Sludge Lagoon

The primary purpose of Hamilton Lime Sludge Lagoon 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 City Of Hamilton (local government). It impounds the Great Maimi near Hamilton.

The dam stands 11 feet tall and stretches 3,860 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 10 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 131 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1992, the structure is 34 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 fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 05/04/2021.

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