Sherman Mine Wastewater
Sherman Mine Wastewater is an earth dam located in St. Louis County, Minnesota, built in 1953. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Sherman Mine Wastewater
The primary purpose of Sherman Mine Wastewater 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 Us Steel (private). It impounds the Dempsey Creek-tr.
The dam stands 20 feet tall and stretches 3,200 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 196 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 115 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1953, 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 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 08/22/2019.
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Location
| State | Minnesota |
| County | St. Louis |
| Nearest City | None |
| River/Stream | Dempsey Creek-tr |
| Coordinates | 47.48012, -92.82631 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 20 ft |
| Dam Height | 20 ft |
| Dam Length | 3,200 ft |
| Year Completed | 1953 (73 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 115 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 115 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 87 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 196 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Tailings |
| Owner | US Steel |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 08/22/2019 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MN00797 |
| Federal ID | MN00797 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |