Lucky Friday No 4 dam
Lucky Friday No 4
Lucky Friday No 4, also known as Tailings Pond #4, is a private water resource structure located in Mullan, Idaho. Completed in 2010, this earth dam stands at a towering height of 132 feet, with a hydraulic height of 99 feet and a structural height of 131 feet. With a storage capacity of 624 acre-feet, Lucky Friday No 4 serves the primary purpose of storing tailings from mining activities in the area.
Managed by the Mine Safety and Health Administration, Lucky Friday No 4 has a high hazard potential due to its location near the Little North Fork and South Fork Coeur d'Alene River. Despite this, the dam has been assessed as satisfactory in condition, with the last inspection conducted in July 2020. The structure has no spillway and relies on a valve for outlet control. Its risk assessment categorizes it as high, highlighting the importance of implementing proper risk management measures in the event of emergencies.
Water resource and climate enthusiasts monitoring Lucky Friday No 4 should note its critical role in managing mining waste in the region. As a key infrastructure in Shoshone County, Idaho, this dam serves as a reminder of the delicate balance between resource extraction and environmental protection. With its high hazard potential and risk assessment score, ongoing monitoring and maintenance are crucial to ensure the safety and integrity of Lucky Friday No 4 for both the community and surrounding ecosystems.
Dam data reference
Condition Assessment
- Satisfactory
- No existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. Acceptable performance is expected under all loading conditions (static, hydrologic, seismic) in accordance with the minimum applicable state or federal regulatory criteria or tolerable risk guidelines.
- Fair
- No existing dam safety deficiencies are recognized for normal operating conditions. Rare or extreme hydrologic and/or seismic events may result in a dam safety deficiency. Risk may be in the range to take further action.
- Poor
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized for normal operating conditions which may realistically occur. Remedial action is necessary. POOR may also be used when uncertainties exist as to critical analysis parameters which identify a potential dam safety deficiency.
- Unsatisfactory
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized that requires immediate or emergency remedial action for problem resolution.
- Not Rated
- The dam has not been inspected, is not under state or federal jurisdiction, or has been inspected but, for whatever reason, has not been rated.
Hazard Potential Classification
- High
- Dams assigned the high hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation will probably cause loss of human life.
- Significant
- Dams assigned the significant hazard potential classification are those dams where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life but can cause economic loss, environmental damage, disruption of lifeline facilities, or impact other concerns. Significant hazard potential classification dams are often located in predominantly rural or agricultural areas but could be in areas with population and significant infrastructure.
- Low
- Dams assigned the low hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life and low economic and/or environmental losses. Losses are principally limited to the owner's property.
- Undetermined
- Dams for which a downstream hazard potential has not been designated or is not provided.
Plan around the weather
Same NOAA / yr.no feed Snoflo's iOS app uses. Watch the precipitation column on the meteogram -- rain on the basin upstream typically lifts inflow 24-72 hours later.
Next 5 days, hour by hour
Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.
5-day forecast table
Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind. Each cell is colour-coded relative to the column min/max.
| Time | Condition | Temp (°F) | Snow (in) | Rain (in) | Humidity (%) | Wind (mps) | Wind dir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading detailed forecast… | |||||||
15-day temperature & precipitation
Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks.
Nearby streamflow gauges
USGS streamgauges around Lucky Friday No 4 -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Canyon Creek Ab Mouth At Wallace | 78 cfs | → |
| Ninemile Creek Ab Mouth At Wallace | 16 cfs | → |
| Sf Coeur D Alene At Elizabeth Park Nr Kellogg Id | 389 cfs | → |
| Prospect Creek At Thompson Falls Mt | 277 cfs | → |
| Nf Coeur D Alene R Ab Shoshone Ck Nr Prichard Id | 230 cfs | → |
| Ef Pine Creek Abv Nabob Cr Near Pinehurst Id | 5 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Lucky Friday No 4.
Boat launches
- Old River Road Shoshone County
- Calder Road Shoshone County
- Coeur D'Alene River Road Shoshone County
- North Shore Road Trout Creek;Trout Creek Post Office
- Usfs Road 2229 Sanders County
- South Mission Road Kootenai County
Campgrounds
- Telichpah
- Telichpah Campground
- Lake Elsie
- Jackpine Flats Campground
- Savenac East Cottage
- Savenac West Cottage
Paddle runs
- Confluence North Fork Coeur D'Alene River To Cataldo Mission
- Willow Creek, Sec. 32, T24n, R29w To Noxon Reservoir, Sec. 14, T24n, R31w
- Coeur D"Alene River, Sec. 8, T49n, R2e To Honey Mountain, Sec. 32, T53n, R1w
- Little North Fork Clearwater River
- Adair Creek To Fish Lake, Sec. 4, T43n, R4e
- Lost Lake Creek
Track Lucky Friday No 4 in the Snoflo app
Save this dam as a favorite and get the local NOAA / yr.no forecast plus regional flow context wherever you are.
About Lucky Friday No 4
Where does the data for Lucky Friday No 4 come from?
Structural and regulatory data come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' National Inventory of Dams (NID). Weather forecast comes from NOAA / yr.no -- the same feed Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the report updated?
NID structural data refreshes annually as the Corps publishes updated assessments. The weather forecast refreshes throughout the day.
What does the High hazard rating mean?
The Corps of Engineers' hazard potential classification grades probable consequences if the dam fails: High = probable loss of human life; Significant = no probable loss of human life but possible economic loss / environmental damage; Low = no probable loss of human life, only minor economic / environmental losses. See the Dam Data Reference card above for the full definitions.
What's "% of normal"?
The current storage value compared to the historical average storage on this calendar day. 100% = right on average; values above 100% mean above-normal storage (wet year); values below mean below-normal (dry year or drought).
Can I get alerts when storage crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this dam, set a threshold, and you'll get a push the moment conditions cross.
Other water bodies near here
Snoflo-tracked reservoirs and dams within driving distance of Lucky Friday No 4.