Galena Mill No 3 Lower

About Galena Mill No 3 Lower

The primary purpose of Galena Mill No 3 Lower 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 Lake Creek South Fork Coeur D Alene River near Silverton.

The dam stands 64 feet tall, creates a reservoir covering 4 acres, and has a storage capacity of 130 acre-feet. Completed in 1979, the structure is 47 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 fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. The most recent inspection on record was 07/12/2017.

At 64 feet, this dam is taller than 96% of all dams in the United States.

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