Kennecott Mine Small Reservoir
Kennecott Mine Small Reservoir is an earth dam located in Salt Lake County, Utah, built in 1961. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification.
About Kennecott Mine Small Reservoir
The primary purpose of Kennecott Mine Small 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 Kennecott Utah Copper , Llc (private). It impounds the Bingham Creek near Midvale.
The dam stands 40 feet tall and stretches 510 feet across, has a maximum storage capacity of 70 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1961, 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 06/21/2022.
At 40 feet, this dam is taller than 87% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Utah |
| County | Salt Lake |
| Nearest City | Midvale |
| River/Stream | Bingham Creek |
| Coordinates | 40.56614, -112.08254 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 40 ft |
| Dam Length | 510 ft |
| Year Completed | 1961 (65 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 70 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 70 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 61 acre-ft |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Tailings |
| Owner | KENNECOTT UTAH COPPER , LLC |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Not Rated |
| Last Inspection | 06/21/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | UT00395 |
| Federal ID | UT00395 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |