Sporn Bottom Ash Dam is an other dam located in Mason County, West Virginia. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 42 ft42 ft tall and 2,500 ft long, taller than 88% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. 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 Sporn Bottom Ash Dam
The primary purpose of Sporn Bottom Ash 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 Appalachian Power Co (public utility). It impounds the Ohio near New Haven.
The dam stands 42 feet tall and stretches 2,500 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 9 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 279 acre-feet.
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 07/31/2022.
At 42 feet, this dam is taller than 88% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | West Virginia |
| County | Mason |
| Nearest City | New Haven |
| River/Stream | Ohio |
| Coordinates | 38.96833, -81.92944 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Other |
| NID Height | 42 ft |
| Dam Height | 42 ft |
| Dam Length | 2,500 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 279 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 279 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 205 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 9 acres |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Tailings |
| Owner | Appalachian Power Co |
| Owner Type | Public Utility |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 07/31/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | WV05313 |
| Federal ID | WV05313 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |