Mcintosh No. 1

About Mcintosh No. 1

The primary purpose of Mcintosh No. 1 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 Energy Fuels Wyoming Inc (private). It impounds the Sheehan Springs Draw near Hwy. 287/789.

The dam stands 80 feet tall and stretches 1,300 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 26 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 611 acre-feet. Completed in 1979, the structure is 47 years old.

This dam has a low hazard potential classification, meaning that failure would cause minimal damage, limited primarily to the dam owner's property, with no expected 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. The most recent inspection on record was 05/16/2023.

At 80 feet, this dam is taller than 97% of all dams in the United States.

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