Sugar Camp Branch Coal Refuse Impoundment
Sugar Camp Branch Coal Refuse Impoundment is an other dam located in Nicholas County, West Virginia, built in 2006. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Sugar Camp Branch Coal Refuse Impoundment
The primary purpose of Sugar Camp Branch Coal Refuse 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 Power Mountain Coal Company (private). It impounds the Sugar Camp Branch near Drennen.
The dam stands 150 feet tall and stretches 1,900 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 249 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 19,901 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 2006, the structure is relatively new.
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 150 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 | Drennen |
| River/Stream | Sugar Camp Branch |
| Coordinates | 38.30580, -81.02889 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Other |
| NID Height | 150 ft |
| Dam Height | 150 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,900 ft |
| Year Completed | 2006 (20 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 19,901 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 19,901 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 17,000 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 249 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 75,200 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Tailings |
| Owner | POWER MOUNTAIN COAL COMPANY |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Rated |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | WV06712 |
| Federal ID | WV06712 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |