Holden #22 Slurry Impoundment

Holden #22 Slurry Impoundment is an earth dam located in Logan County, West Virginia. It carries a High hazard potential classification.

Hazard potentialHighFailure would probably cost lives
ConditionNot assessed
Emergency action planOn file
Last inspectionNot reported
Height355 ft

Dam profile

NID height · 355 ft
355 FT STATUE OF LIBERTY

355 ft tall and 600 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 Holden #22 Slurry Impoundment

The primary purpose of Holden #22 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 Coal-mac LLC (private).

The dam stands 355 feet tall and stretches 600 feet across, and has a maximum storage capacity of 20 acre-feet.

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. An emergency action plan is in place for this 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

StateWest Virginia
CountyLogan
Nearest CityHolden
Coordinates37.75667, -82.07778

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeEarth
NID Height355 ft
Dam Height355 ft
Dam Length600 ft

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage20 acre-ft
Max Storage20 acre-ft

Ownership & Safety

PurposeTailings
OwnerCoal-mac LLC
Owner TypePrivate
Hazard ClassificationHigh
Condition AssessmentNot assessed
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDWV04513
Federal IDWV04513
More InfoState Dam Safety Program