Tailings Pond
Tailings Pond is an earth dam located in Garland County, Arkansas, built in 1980. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Tailings Pond
The primary purpose of Tailings Pond 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 Evraz Stratcor, Inc. (private). It impounds the Ouachita River-tr near Hot Springs.
The dam stands 90 feet tall and stretches 4,000 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 35 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 590 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1980, the structure is 46 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam.
At 90 feet, this dam is taller than 98% 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 Arkansas 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 | Arkansas |
| County | Garland |
| Nearest City | Hot Springs |
| River/Stream | Ouachita River-tr |
| Coordinates | 34.46722, -92.93972 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 90 ft |
| Dam Height | 90 ft |
| Dam Length | 4,000 ft |
| Year Completed | 1980 (46 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 590 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 590 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 57 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 35 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 90 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Tailings |
| Owner | Evraz Stratcor, Inc. |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Rated |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | AR01235 |
| Federal ID | AR01235 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |