Sidney Lime Sludge Lagoon is an earth dam located in Shelby County, Ohio, built in 1978. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 16 ft16 ft tall and 2,290 ft long. 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 Sidney Lime Sludge Lagoon
The primary purpose of Sidney Lime Sludge Lagoon 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 City of Sidney (local government). It impounds the Unnamed Tributary to Tawawa Creek near Sidney.
The dam stands 16 feet tall and stretches 2,290 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 9 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 146 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1978, the structure is 48 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 11/07/2024.
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Location
| State | Ohio |
| County | Shelby |
| Nearest City | Sidney |
| River/Stream | Unnamed Tributary to Tawawa Creek |
| Coordinates | 40.29250, -84.13500 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 16 ft |
| Dam Height | 16 ft |
| Dam Length | 2,290 ft |
| Year Completed | 1978 (48 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 146 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 146 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 124 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 9 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 7 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Tailings |
| Owner | City of Sidney |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 11/07/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | OH02403 |
| Federal ID | OH02403 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |