Mason Dixon Original Settling Pond
Mason Dixon Original Settling Pond is an earth dam located in Cecil County, Maryland, built in 1966. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Mason Dixon Original Settling Pond
The primary purpose of Mason Dixon Original Settling Pond 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 York Building Products Co, Inc. (private). It impounds the Principio Creek-tr-os near Principio Furnance.
The dam stands 52 feet tall and stretches 1,390 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 10 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 386 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1966, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
This dam has a low hazard potential classification, meaning that failure would cause minimal damage, limited primarily to the dam owner's property, with no expected loss of life. Its condition is rated satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. The most recent inspection on record was 05/03/2023.
At 52 feet, this dam is taller than 93% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Maryland |
| County | Cecil |
| Nearest City | Principio Furnance |
| River/Stream | Principio Creek-tr-os |
| Coordinates | 39.58030, -76.01600 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 52 ft |
| Dam Height | 52 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,390 ft |
| Year Completed | 1966 (60 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 386 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 386 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 286 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 10 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 44 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Tailings |
| Owner | York Building Products Co, Inc. |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 05/03/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MD00115 |
| Federal ID | MD00115 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |