Young Mill Tailings Dam

About Young Mill Tailings Dam

The primary purpose of Young Mill 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 Nyrstar Tn Mines-strawberry Plains (private).

The dam stands 145 feet tall and stretches 4,990 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 112 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,867 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1998, the structure is 28 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 satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 12/20/2024.

At 145 feet, this dam is taller than 99% of all dams in the United States.

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