Essar Steel Tailings Basin is an earth dam located in Itasca County, Minnesota, built in 2011. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 200 ft200 ft tall and 30,600 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 Essar Steel Tailings Basin
The primary purpose of Essar Steel Tailings Basin 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 Essar Steel Minnesota (private). It impounds the O'brien Creek-os near Pengilly.
The dam stands 200 feet tall and stretches 30,600 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 1,377 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 13,770 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 2011, the structure is relatively new.
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 satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. The most recent inspection on record was 10/05/2023.
At 200 feet, this dam is taller than 99% of all dams in the United States.
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Location
| State | Minnesota |
| County | Itasca |
| Nearest City | Pengilly |
| River/Stream | O'brien Creek-os |
| Coordinates | 47.34307, -93.17524 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 200 ft |
| Dam Height | 200 ft |
| Dam Length | 30,600 ft |
| Year Completed | 2011 (15 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 13,770 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 13,770 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 6,885 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 1,377 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Tailings |
| Owner | Essar Steel Minnesota |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 10/05/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MN01616 |
| Federal ID | MN01616 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |