Trace Branch Slurry Impoundment
Trace Branch Slurry Impoundment is an earth dam located in Boone County, West Virginia, built in 1992. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Trace Branch Slurry Impoundment
The primary purpose of Trace Branch 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 Rockspring Development Inc (private). It impounds the Right Fork Of Camp Creek near East Lynn.
The dam stands 320 feet tall and stretches 3,000 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 81 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 12,191 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1992, the structure is 34 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 320 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 | Boone |
| Nearest City | East Lynn |
| River/Stream | Right Fork Of Camp Creek |
| Coordinates | 38.15056, -81.65528 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 320 ft |
| Dam Height | 320 ft |
| Dam Length | 3,000 ft |
| Year Completed | 1992 (34 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 12,191 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 12,191 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 11,818 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 81 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 96 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Tailings |
| Owner | ROCKSPRING DEVELOPMENT INC |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Rated |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | WV09911 |
| Federal ID | WV09911 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |