Clay Hollow Slurry Impoundment dam
Clay Hollow Slurry Impoundment
Clay Hollow Slurry Impoundment, also known as Sapphire Slurry Impoundment, is a private-owned structure located in Polly, Letcher County, Kentucky. This tailings dam, primarily designed for storing mining waste, stands at an impressive height of 375 feet and spans a length of 1400 feet. With a storage capacity of 10,590 acre-feet, this earth dam poses a high hazard potential due to its sheer size and location.
Despite being under the jurisdiction of the Mine Safety and Health Administration, Clay Hollow Slurry Impoundment is not regulated by the state of Kentucky. This lack of state oversight raises concerns about the safety and maintenance of the structure, especially given its high hazard potential. With no available condition assessment or inspection data, the current state of the impoundment remains unknown, highlighting the need for increased monitoring and regulatory enforcement to prevent any potential environmental disasters.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, the Clay Hollow Slurry Impoundment serves as a stark reminder of the importance of proper regulation and maintenance of industrial structures. As a privately-owned facility with no state permitting or inspection requirements, this massive tailings dam presents a significant risk to the surrounding area. With its high hazard potential and unknown condition assessment, there is a pressing need for increased oversight and accountability to ensure the safety and integrity of Clay Hollow Slurry Impoundment for both the local community and the environment.
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 Clay Hollow Slurry Impoundment -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| North Fork Kentucky River At Whitesburg | 23 cfs | → |
| Poor Fork At Cumberland | 59 cfs | → |
| North Fork Kentucky River At Hazard | 113 cfs | → |
| Cranes Nest River Near Clintwood | 29 cfs | → |
| Powell River At Big Stone Gap | 107 cfs | → |
| Levisa Fork At Pikeville | 347 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Clay Hollow Slurry Impoundment.
Boat launches
- Smithsboro Road Perry County
- Carr Creek Dam Road Knott County
- Park Avenue Hazard
- Lake Keokee Loop Lee County
- Big Cherry Road Wise County
Campgrounds
- Swindall Campsite
- Littcarr - Carr Creek Lake
- Indian Grave Campsite
- Jack Sutter Campsite
- Cane Patch Campground
- Cane Patch
Paddle runs
- Headwaters To Alternative Route 58
- State Route 72 Bridge To Confluence With Clinch River
- Fs Route 700 To Confluence With Clinch River
- Confluence Of White Branch With Russell Fork (And 1 Mile Upstream On Pound River) To Railroad Bridge Crossing Above Elkhorn City
- Confluence With Guest River To Confluence With Little Stony Creek
Track Clay Hollow 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 Clay Hollow Slurry Impoundment
Where does the data for Clay Hollow 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 Clay Hollow Slurry Impoundment.