Temple Terrace Cell E

About Temple Terrace Cell E

The primary purpose of Temple Terrace Cell E 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 Blackwater Creek-os near Temple Terrace.

The dam stands 80 feet tall and stretches 5,435 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 20 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,200 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1970, 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 09/07/2005. That was over 20 years ago.

At 80 feet, this dam is taller than 97% of all dams in the United States.

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