Rob Fork Slurry Impoundment dam
Rob Fork Slurry Impoundment
Rob Fork Slurry Impoundment, also known as Beth-Elkhorn Mine No. 29 Dam, is a private water resource structure located in Penny, Pike County, Kentucky. This dam primarily serves the purpose of tailings management, with a dam height of 450 feet and a storage capacity of 8,766 acre-feet. Despite being unregulated by the state, it falls under the jurisdiction of the Mine Safety and Health Administration, highlighting its importance in the mining industry.
The dam's high hazard potential, coupled with limited information on its condition assessment, raises concerns about its safety and environmental impact. With no state permitting, inspection, or enforcement in place, oversight of this structure falls on federal agencies like the Mine Safety and Health Administration. The lack of detailed data on its risk assessment, emergency action plan, and maintenance measures further underscores the need for transparency and proactive management of this critical water resource infrastructure.
Given its significant size and potential risk, the Rob Fork Slurry Impoundment warrants closer scrutiny and monitoring by both state and federal authorities. As water resource and climate enthusiasts, it is crucial to advocate for increased regulation, inspection, and emergency preparedness to ensure the safety of surrounding communities and the integrity of this essential water management facility.
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 Rob Fork Slurry Impoundment -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Levisa Fork At Pikeville | 347 cfs | → |
| Grapevine Creek Near Phyllis | 1 cfs | → |
| Pound River Below Flannagan Dam Near Haysi | 26 cfs | → |
| Russell Fork At Bartlick | 1,060 cfs | → |
| Cranes Nest River Near Clintwood | 29 cfs | → |
| Russell Fork At Haysi | 467 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Rob Fork Slurry Impoundment.
Boat launches
Campgrounds
- Mullins Pond Campsite
- Pound River - John W. Flannagan Reservoir
- Lower Twin Branch - John W. Flannagan Reservoir
- Grapevine - Fishtrap Lake
- Breaks Interstate Park
- Cranesnest - John W. Flannagan Reservoir
Paddle runs
- Confluence Of White Branch With Russell Fork (And 1 Mile Upstream On Pound River) To Railroad Bridge Crossing Above Elkhorn City
- State Route 72 Bridge To Confluence With Clinch River
- Fs Route 700 To Confluence With Clinch River
- Confluence With Guest River To Confluence With Little Stony Creek
- Headwaters To Alternative Route 58
Track Rob Fork Slurry Impoundment 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 Rob Fork Slurry Impoundment
Where does the data for Rob Fork Slurry Impoundment 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 Rob Fork Slurry Impoundment.