Inland Steel Tailings
Inland Steel Tailings is an earth dam located in St. Louis County, Minnesota, built in 1976. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Inland Steel Tailings
The primary purpose of Inland Steel Tailings 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 Arcelormittal (private). It impounds the Wouri Creek-os near Local Residents.
The dam stands 44 feet tall and stretches 12,000 feet across, has a maximum storage capacity of 14,500 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 4 square miles. Completed in 1976, the structure is 50 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 08/15/2024.
At 44 feet, this dam is taller than 90% of dams nationwide.
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 Minnesota 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
| State | Minnesota |
| County | St. Louis |
| Nearest City | Local Residents |
| River/Stream | Wouri Creek-os |
| Coordinates | 47.60253, -92.46072 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 44 ft |
| Dam Height | 44 ft |
| Dam Length | 12,000 ft |
| Year Completed | 1976 (50 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 14,500 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 14,500 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 7,780 acre-ft |
| Drainage Area | 4 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Tailings |
| Owner | ArcelorMittal |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Last Inspection | 08/15/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MN00670 |
| Federal ID | MN00670 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |