Moccasin Hollow Impoundment
Moccasin Hollow Impoundment is an other dam located in Boone County, West Virginia, built in 1999. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Moccasin Hollow Impoundment
The primary purpose of Moccasin Hollow Impoundment 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 Catenary Coal Company (private). It impounds the Moccasin Hollow near Orgas.
The dam stands 310 feet tall and stretches 820 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 39 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 2,452 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1999, the structure is 27 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. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam.
At 310 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 West Virginia 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 | West Virginia |
| County | Boone |
| Nearest City | Orgas |
| River/Stream | Moccasin Hollow |
| Coordinates | 38.05640, -81.48611 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Other |
| NID Height | 310 ft |
| Dam Height | 310 ft |
| Dam Length | 820 ft |
| Year Completed | 1999 (27 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 2,452 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 2,452 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 2,121 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 39 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 1,611 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Tailings |
| Owner | CATENARY COAL COMPANY |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Rated |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | WV00524 |
| Federal ID | WV00524 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |