Lower Slate Lake Tailings Dam

About Lower Slate Lake Tailings Dam

The primary purpose of Lower Slate Lake 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 Coeur Alaska Inc. (private). It impounds the Lower Slate Creek.

The dam stands 63 feet tall and stretches 480 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 53 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 2,800 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 2010, the structure is relatively new.

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 satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 07/28/2020.

At 63 feet, this dam is taller than 96% of all dams in the United States.

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