Millstone Branch Slurry Impoundment No.2

Millstone Branch Slurry Impoundment No.2 is an earth dam located in Pike County, Kentucky. It carries a High hazard potential classification.

Hazard potentialHighFailure would probably cost lives
ConditionNot assessed
Emergency action planOn file
Last inspectionNot reported
Height200 ft

Dam profile

NID height · 200 ft
200 FT STATUE OF LIBERTY

200 ft tall and 600 ft long, taller than 99% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against the Statue of Liberty, 305 ft ground to torch; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.

About Millstone Branch Slurry Impoundment No.2

The primary purpose of Millstone Branch Slurry Impoundment 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 owned by Matergy, Inc, (private).

The dam stands 200 feet tall and stretches 600 feet across, and has a maximum storage capacity of 636 acre-feet.

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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam.

At 200 feet, this dam is taller than 99% 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 Kentucky 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.

Location

StateKentucky
CountyPike
Nearest CityNolan, Wv
Coordinates37.71639, -82.37444

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeEarth
NID Height200 ft
Dam Height200 ft
Dam Length600 ft

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage636 acre-ft
Max Storage636 acre-ft

Ownership & Safety

PurposeTailings
OwnerMatergy, Inc,
Owner TypePrivate
Hazard ClassificationHigh
Condition AssessmentNot assessed
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDKY83564
Federal IDKY83564
More InfoState Dam Safety Program