Elkem Fluid Waste Pond 3a is an earth dam located in Ashtabula County, Ohio, built in 1967. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 40 ft40 ft tall and 3,350 ft long, taller than 86% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Elkem Fluid Waste Pond 3a
The primary purpose of Elkem Fluid Waste Pond 3a 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 Emc Ashtabula, Inc.. It impounds the Tributary to Lake Erie - Offstream near Ashtabula.
The dam stands 40 feet tall and stretches 3,350 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 23 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 278 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1967, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
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 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 09/29/2022.
At 40 feet, this dam is taller than 86% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Ohio |
| County | Ashtabula |
| Nearest City | Ashtabula |
| River/Stream | Tributary to Lake Erie - Offstream |
| Coordinates | 41.90556, -80.75111 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 40 ft |
| Dam Height | 40 ft |
| Dam Length | 3,350 ft |
| Year Completed | 1967 (59 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 278 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 278 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 236 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 23 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 20 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Tailings |
| Owner | Emc Ashtabula, Inc. |
| Owner Type | Not Listed |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 09/29/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | OH01179 |
| Federal ID | OH01179 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |