Noralyn N-14

About Noralyn N-14

The primary purpose of Noralyn N-14 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 Clear Springs Enterprises, Llc (private). It impounds the Six Mile Creek near Bartow.

The dam stands 45 feet tall and stretches 22,176 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 667 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 30,000 acre-feet. Completed in 1976, the structure is 50 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. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 08/25/2014. That was 11 years ago — unusually long for a high-hazard dam, which typically requires more frequent inspections.

At 45 feet, this dam is taller than 91% of dams nationwide.

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 Florida 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.