Sherman Group Tailings dam
Sherman Group Tailings
The Sherman Group Tailings, located in St. Louis County, Minnesota, is a privately owned earth dam that was completed in 1970 for the purpose of tailings storage. With a structural height of 48 feet and a length of 2200 feet, this dam has a storage capacity of 720 acre-feet and covers a surface area of 168 acres. Despite its low hazard potential, the dam is subject to state regulation and inspection, ensuring its safety and compliance with environmental standards.
The tailings dam is situated near Dempsey Creek-OS and falls under the jurisdiction of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources - Environmental and Water Resources Division. Although it has not been rated for its condition assessment, the dam has a regular inspection frequency of 8 years, with the last inspection conducted in July 2012. The dam's emergency action plan status, risk assessment, and management measures are currently unreported, indicating a potential area for further evaluation and improvement. For water resource and climate enthusiasts, the Sherman Group Tailings presents an opportunity to delve into the complexities of tailings storage and environmental regulation in Minnesota.
Overall, the Sherman Group Tailings serves as a notable example of a privately owned earth dam in Minnesota, designed for tailings storage with a focus on safety and compliance. As water resource and climate enthusiasts explore the nuances of this structure, there is a chance to delve deeper into its management practices, emergency preparedness, and potential risk factors. With a low hazard potential and regular state oversight, the Sherman Group Tailings stands as a key component of the region's water resource infrastructure.
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 Sherman Group Tailings -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Prairie River Near Taconite | 254 cfs | → |
| Mississippi River At Grand Rapids | 545 cfs | → |
| South Kawishiwi R Abv White Iron Lake Nr Ely | 2,250 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Sherman Group Tailings.
⚓ Boat launches
- Mesabi Trail , Buhl
- 6th Street Northeast , Chisholm
- North 9th Avenue West Virginia
- Miller Trunk Road Saint Louis County
- Ore-Be-Gone Drive Gilbert
⛺ Campgrounds
- Stubler Beach Campgrounds
- Buhl Rv Park
- Stubler Beach
- West Two River
- North Hibbing Campground
- Sherwood Forest City Campground
🎣 Fishing spots
More fishing →Track Sherman Group Tailings 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 Sherman Group Tailings
Where does the data for Sherman Group Tailings 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 Low 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 Sherman Group Tailings.