Imerys 5c Clay Impoundment Dam

About Imerys 5c Clay Impoundment Dam

The primary purpose of Imerys 5c Clay Impoundment 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 Imerys Clays, Inc. (private). It impounds the Unknown.

The dam stands 67 feet tall and stretches 3,400 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 264 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 7,250 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 936 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. 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 08/16/2017. That was 8 years ago, which is on the longer end for a high-hazard structure.

At 67 feet, this dam is taller than 96% 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 Georgia dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.

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