Browns Run Impoundment is an earth dam located in Marshall County, West Virginia. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 246 ft246 ft tall and 800 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 Browns Run Impoundment
The primary purpose of Browns Run 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 Ohio County Coal Co. (private).
The dam stands 246 feet tall and stretches 800 feet across, and has a maximum storage capacity of 2,880 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 246 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 | Marshall |
| Nearest City | Benwood |
| Coordinates | 40.02056, -80.71667 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 246 ft |
| Dam Height | 246 ft |
| Dam Length | 800 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 2,880 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 2,880 acre-ft |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Tailings |
| Owner | Ohio County Coal Co. |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | WV05123 |
| Federal ID | WV05123 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |