Campbells Creek Slurry Impoundment is an other dam located in Nicholas County, West Virginia, built in 1999. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 355 ft355 ft tall and 1,275 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 Campbells Creek Slurry Impoundment
The primary purpose of Campbells Creek Slurry Impoundment 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 Catenary Coal Company (private). It impounds the Pointlick Branch near Port Amherst.
The dam stands 355 feet tall and stretches 1,275 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 27 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 2,217 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1999, the structure is 27 years old.
This dam carries a high hazard potential classification, which means that a failure or uncontrolled release of water would likely cause loss of human life. This classification reflects the consequences of failure, not the likelihood — it indicates that people live or work in the area downstream. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam.
At 355 feet, this dam is taller than 99% of all dams in the United States.
Living Downstream
If you live or work downstream of this dam, consider taking these steps: learn your local evacuation routes, check whether your county emergency management office has a dam failure inundation map, and sign up for local emergency alerts. The West Virginia dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | West Virginia |
| County | Nicholas |
| Nearest City | Port Amherst |
| River/Stream | Pointlick Branch |
| Coordinates | 38.30361, -80.52556 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Other |
| NID Height | 355 ft |
| Dam Height | 355 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,275 ft |
| Year Completed | 1999 (27 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 2,217 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 2,217 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 2,155 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 27 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 32 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Tailings |
| Owner | Catenary Coal Company |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | WV03932 |
| Federal ID | WV03932 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |