Dams in St. Louis County, Minnesota
63Total Dams
8High Hazard
14Significant
Dam Safety in St. Louis County, Minnesota
St. Louis County has 63 dams tracked in the National Inventory of Dams. Of these, 8 are classified as high hazard — meaning failure would probably cause loss of human life. Another 14 carry a significant hazard classification. Currently, 3 dams have a condition assessment of poor or unsatisfactory.
The average dam in St. Louis County is 66 years old. The most common purpose is tailings. The tallest dam is Erie Basin 2 at 250 ft.
Explore more: Oldest dams in Minnesota · Tallest dams · High risk dams · Largest reservoirs
| Dam | Hazard | Condition | Height (ft) | Purpose | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hibbing Taconite Tailings Basin | High | 100 | Tailings | ||
| Hibbing Taconite Reclaim Pond | High | 100 | Tailings | ||
| Fond Du Lac | High | Satisfactory | 80 | Hydroelectric | 1924 |
| Eveleth Taconite Tailings | High | 50 | Tailings | 1978 | |
| Inland Steel Tailings | High | 44 | Tailings | 1976 | |
| Fish Lake | High | Satisfactory | 25 | Hydroelectric | 1911 |
| Island Lake North Dike | High | Satisfactory | 21 | Hydroelectric | 1915 |
| Hartley Pond | High | Fair | 15 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1975 |
| Erie Basin 2 | Significant | Satisfactory | 250 | Tailings | 1978 |
| Erie Basin 1 | Significant | Satisfactory | 200 | Tailings | 1978 |
| Poly Met Hrf Dam | Significant | 111 | Tailings | ||
| Nspc Stage 2 Tailings | Significant | Satisfactory | 70 | Tailings | 1978 |
| Polymet-ltv | Significant | Satisfactory | 69 | Tailings | 1981 |
| Upland Cell Ii Interior | Significant | 60 | Tailings | 2011 | |
| Douglas Tailings | Significant | Satisfactory | 40 | Tailings | 1960 |
| Whitewater Reservoir | Significant | Satisfactory | 40 | Water Supply | 1954 |
| West Two River | Significant | Satisfactory | 40 | Water Supply | 1966 |
| Whitewater Reservoir Saddle Dam | Significant | Satisfactory | 36 | Water Supply | 1954 |
| Pike River | Significant | Poor | 30 | Recreation | 1912 |
| Minorca Pit South | Significant | Satisfactory | 30 | Tailings | 2008 |
| Little Stone Lake | Significant | Fair | 20 | Recreation | |
| Plant Site Settling | Significant | Satisfactory | 15 | Tailings | 1950 |
| Minntac Tailings | Low | 50 | Tailings | 1978 | |
| Sherman Group Tailings | Low | Satisfactory | 48 | Tailings | 1970 |
| Nspc Initial Tailings | Low | Satisfactory | 45 | Tailings | 1968 |
| Whiteface Lake | Low | Satisfactory | 40 | Hydroelectric | 1922 |
| Whiteface Lake South Dike | Low | Satisfactory | 36 | Hydroelectric | 1922 |
| Whiteface Lake West Dike | Low | Satisfactory | 36 | Hydroelectric | 1922 |
| Donora Settling | Low | Satisfactory | 32 | Tailings | 1970 |
| Sauntry Creek Settling | Low | Satisfactory | 32 | Tailings | 1977 |
| St. Louis River | Low | 28 | Water Supply | 1963 | |
| Chez Pond | Low | Poor | 26 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1973 |
| Pioneer Clarification | Low | Poor | 25 | Tailings | 1961 |
| Pioneer Tailings | Low | Fair | 25 | Tailings | 1961 |
| Us Steel Morgan Park | Low | Satisfactory | 23 | ||
| Sherman Mine Wastewater | Low | Fair | 20 | Tailings | 1953 |
| Boulder Lake Dike Cc | Low | Satisfactory | 20 | Hydroelectric | 1919 |
| Wolf Lake | Low | Satisfactory | 16 | Recreation | 1941 |
| Wynne Lake | Low | Satisfactory | 15 | Other | 1944 |
| East Stephens Settling | Low | Fair | 15 | Tailings | 1964 |
| Buhl Detention | Low | 15 | Fish and Wildlife Pond | 1988 | |
| Schweiger Pond | Low | Fair | 14 | Fish and Wildlife Pond | 1930 |
| Goldmine | Low | Not Rated | 14 | Fish and Wildlife Pond | 1993 |
| Canosia Wma Angell Pool | Low | Satisfactory | 14 | Fish and Wildlife Pond | 1978 |
| Esquagama Lake | Low | Fair | 12 | Recreation | 1937 |
| Daniels Pond | Low | Satisfactory | 12 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1973 |
| Camp 97 | Low | Not Rated | 12 | Fish and Wildlife Pond | 1994 |
| Erie Pier Dike | Low | Satisfactory | 11 | Other | 1978 |
| Wild Rice Lake | Low | Satisfactory | 11 | Hydroelectric | 1907 |
| West Stephens Settling | Low | Satisfactory | 10 | Tailings | 1964 |
| Wabigone Tailings | Low | 10 | Tailings | 1941 | |
| Donna Lake | Low | Fair | 10 | Fish and Wildlife Pond | |
| Pelican Lake | Low | Satisfactory | 10 | Recreation | 2002 |
| Smith Lake | Low | Satisfactory | 9 | Recreation | 1939 |
| Floodwood Lake | Low | Satisfactory | 8 | Recreation | 1940 |
| Ely Lake | Low | Satisfactory | 8 | Recreation | 1939 |
| Sturgeon Lake | Low | Fair | 8 | Recreation | 1936 |
| Canosia Wma Angell Pool South | Low | Fair | 8 | Fish and Wildlife Pond | 1978 |
| Canosia Wma 6 | Low | Satisfactory | 7 | Fish and Wildlife Pond | 1978 |
| Elephant Creek | Low | Not Rated | 7 | Fish and Wildlife Pond | 1991 |
| Hibbing Taconite Starter No. 4 | Undetermined | 100 | Tailings | ||
| Hibbing Taconite Starter No. 2 | Undetermined | 100 | Tailings | 1975 | |
| Western Hibtac | Undetermined | 100 | Tailings | 1978 |