Carlin Gold Tailings Dam is an earth dam located in Eureka County, Nevada, built in 1991. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 270 ft270 ft tall and 2,500 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 Carlin Gold Tailings Dam
The primary purpose of Carlin Gold Tailings Dam 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 Nevada Gold Mines LLC (private). It impounds the Sheep Creek-tr near Dunphy.
The dam stands 270 feet tall and stretches 2,500 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 120 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 4,030 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1991, the structure is 35 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 07/31/2019.
At 270 feet, this dam is taller than 99% of all dams in the United States.
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Location
| State | Nevada |
| County | Eureka |
| Nearest City | Dunphy |
| River/Stream | Sheep Creek-tr |
| Coordinates | 40.91500, -116.33060 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 270 ft |
| Dam Height | 270 ft |
| Dam Length | 2,500 ft |
| Year Completed | 1991 (35 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 4,030 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 4,030 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 4,030 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 120 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 2 cfs |
| Spillway Type | None |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Tailings |
| Owner | Nevada Gold Mines LLC |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 07/31/2019 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NV00133 |
| Federal ID | NV00133 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |