Nixon Fork Tailings Dam is an earth dam located in Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska, built in 1995. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 64 ft64 ft tall and 510 ft long, taller than 96% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a ten-story building, about 100 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Nixon Fork Tailings Dam
The primary purpose of Nixon Fork Tailings 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 Mystery Creek Resources (private). It impounds the Ruby Creek-tr near Mcgrath.
The dam stands 64 feet tall and stretches 510 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 5 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 77 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1995, the structure is 31 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 10/15/2018.
At 64 feet, this dam is taller than 96% of all dams in the United States.
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Location
| State | Alaska |
| County | Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area |
| Nearest City | Mcgrath |
| River/Stream | Ruby Creek-tr |
| Coordinates | 63.23800, -154.77800 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 64 ft |
| Dam Height | 64 ft |
| Dam Length | 510 ft |
| Year Completed | 1995 (31 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 77 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 77 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 62 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 5 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | None |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Tailings |
| Owner | Mystery Creek Resources |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 10/15/2018 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | AK00213 |
| Federal ID | AK00213 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |