Copper Range Company Dam dam
Copper Range Company Dam
The Copper Range Company Dam, also known as the Copper Range South Tailings Dam, is a private structure located in Ontonagon, Michigan. Built in 1958, this earth dam stands at a height of 70 feet and serves primarily for tailings management. With a storage capacity of 34,300 acre-feet, the dam's purpose is to contain and manage the waste materials produced by mining activities in the region.
Situated on Bear Creek near Lake Superior, the Copper Range Company Dam plays a crucial role in environmental protection and water resource management. While the dam has an uncontrolled spillway with a width of 6 feet, its overall hazard potential and condition assessment remain undetermined and unrated, respectively. Despite its moderate risk rating, the dam has not been inspected since 1996, raising concerns about its current state and the potential implications for the surrounding area.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, the Copper Range Company Dam presents an intriguing case study in the intersection of industry, environmental stewardship, and infrastructure management. As a key element in the region's mining history, the dam's role in safeguarding water quality and ecosystem health underscores the importance of monitoring and maintaining aging structures to ensure their continued safety and effectiveness in the face of changing climate conditions and regulatory requirements.
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 Copper Range Company Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Ontonagon River Near Rockland | 840 cfs | → |
| West Branch Ontonagon River Near Bergland | 93 cfs | → |
| Sturgeon River Near Alston | 491 cfs | → |
| Bond Falls Canal Near Paulding | 91 cfs | → |
| Presque Isle River Near Tula | 66 cfs | → |
| Middle Branch Ontonagon River Near Paulding | 170 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Copper Range Company Dam.
Boat launches
- Courtney Lake Bohemia Township
- Federal Forest Highway 16 Bohemia Township
- Clear Lake Access Road Elm River Township
- Sandy Lake Access Road Elm River Township
- Misery Bay Road Bohemia Township
- Campground Lane Elm River Township
Campgrounds
- Ontonagon Township Park
- Courtney Lake
- Courtney Lake Campground
- Emily Lake State Forest Campground
- Emily Lake State Forest
- Bob Lake
Fishing spots
- Rockland Pond
- Lake Roland (Twin Lakes)
- Lake Gerald (Twin Lakes)
- Lake Of The Clouds
- Steusser Lake
- Prickett Reservoir
Paddle runs
- South Branch,Confluence Of Cisco Branch And Tenmile Creek To Confluence With West Branch
- West Branch, Mi State Highway 28 To Cascade Falls
- From Wagner Lake In Sec 13, T49n, R31w To Eastern Boundary Of The Ottawa Nf In Sec 12, T48n, R35@
- Minnewawa Falls To Lake Superior
- West Branch Net River, From Its Source In Sec 35, T48n, R34w To Confluence With Mainstem Net River In Sec 24, T46n, R34w
- East Branch Net River, From Its Source In Sec 8, T47n, R32w To Confluence With Mainstem Net River In Sec 24, T46n, R34w
Track Copper Range Company Dam 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 Copper Range Company Dam
Where does the data for Copper Range Company Dam 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 Undetermined 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 Copper Range Company Dam.