Smoky Canyon No 2

About Smoky Canyon No 2

The primary purpose of Smoky Canyon No 2 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 private-owned. It impounds the Tygee Creek Stump Creek near Afton.

The dam stands 108 feet tall and stretches 1,600 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 489 acres, has a storage capacity of 20,455 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 8 square miles. Completed in 1992, the structure is 34 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. 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 10/28/2020.

At 108 feet, this dam is taller than 98% of all dams in the United States.

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