Saddle Creek Sa-1 is an earth dam located in Polk County, Florida, built in 1955. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 26 ft26 ft tall and 21,700 ft long, taller than 55% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Saddle Creek Sa-1
The primary purpose of Saddle Creek Sa-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 The Mosaic Company (private). It impounds the Saddle Creek near Lakeland.
The dam stands 26 feet tall and stretches 21,700 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 416 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 10,815 acre-feet. Completed in 1955, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 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.
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Location
| State | Florida |
| County | Polk |
| Nearest City | Lakeland |
| River/Stream | Saddle Creek |
| Coordinates | 28.12000, -81.88000 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 26 ft |
| Dam Height | 26 ft |
| Dam Length | 21,700 ft |
| Year Completed | 1955 (71 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 10,815 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 10,815 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 10,815 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 416 acres |
| Max Discharge | 220 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Tailings |
| Owner | The Mosaic Company |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | FL00565 |
| Federal ID | FL00565 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |