Gribben Tailings Basin Dam dam
Gribben Tailings Basin Dam
Gribben Tailings Basin Dam, located in Gwinn, Michigan, serves as a crucial structure for managing tailings in the area. Completed in 1977, this earth dam stands at a height of 115 feet, with a hydraulic height of 83 feet and a length of 22,000 feet. The dam has a storage capacity of 19,900 acre-feet and a maximum discharge rate of 23 cubic feet per second, making it a significant structure in the region.
Managed by a private owner, the Gribben Tailings Basin Dam is regulated by the Michigan DEGLE and undergoes regular inspections to ensure its satisfactory condition and compliance with state regulations. With a hazard potential rated as significant and a risk assessment of very high, the dam is monitored closely to mitigate any potential risks associated with its operation. The dam's controlled spillway and Controlled spillway type are designed to handle excess water and prevent flooding in the area.
Despite its age, the Gribben Tailings Basin Dam continues to play a vital role in managing water resources and mitigating climate-related risks in the region. As a key component of the infrastructure, the dam stands as a testament to the importance of effective water management practices and the need for ongoing monitoring and maintenance to ensure the safety and security of the surrounding communities.
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 Gribben Tailings Basin Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Schweitzer Creek Near Palmer | 12 cfs | → |
| Middle Branch Escanaba River Nr Princeton | 293 cfs | → |
| Greenwood Diversion Near Greenwood | 14 cfs | → |
| Greenwood Release Near Greenwood | 25 cfs | → |
| Middle Branch Escanaba River At Humboldt | 54 cfs | → |
| Au Train River At Forest Lake | 137 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Gribben Tailings Basin Dam.
Boat launches
- County Road Pfj Tilden Township
- Old County Road 510 Negaunee Township
- Hoist Dam Road Negaunee Township
- Basin Access Road Marquette Township
- Wilson Lake Road West Branch Township
- Sporley Lake Road West Branch Township
Campgrounds
- Rippling River Resort
- Private Camp
- Bass Lake State Forest Campground (Marquette)
- Little Presque Isle Cabins
- Little Lake State Forest Campground
- Anderson Lake West State Forest Campground
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- West Branch From Source In Sec 26, T46n, R23 W To Junction With County Road 444
- East Branch Net River, From Its Source In Sec 8, T47n, R32w To Confluence With Mainstem Net River In Sec 24, T46n, R34w
- Mainstem, Easternforest Boundary In Sec 1, T44n, R35w To City Of Crystal Falls
- From Sixteen Mile Lake To North Line Of Sec 26, T43n, R19w
- West Branch Net River, From Its Source In Sec 35, T48n, R34w To Confluence With Mainstem Net River In Sec 24, T46n, R34w
- County Road H-58 (Aka. Adams Trail/ Munising-Van Meer-Shingleton Rd.) To Mouth At Lake Superior
Track Gribben Tailings Basin 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 Gribben Tailings Basin Dam
Where does the data for Gribben Tailings Basin 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 Significant 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 Gribben Tailings Basin Dam.