Essar Steel Tailings Basin dam
Essar Steel Tailings Basin
Essar Steel Tailings Basin, located in Pengilly, Minnesota, is a privately owned earth dam structure designed by Essar Steel to store tailings from mining operations. Completed in 2011, this 200-foot high and 30,600-foot long dam has a storage capacity of 13,770 acre-feet and covers a surface area of 1,377 acres. The basin is regulated by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and undergoes state inspections, permitting, and enforcement to ensure its safe operation.
The tailings basin, situated in Itasca County near the O'Brien Creek, poses a significant hazard potential with a fair condition assessment as of June 2014. Despite this assessment, the risk management measures, emergency action plans, and inundation maps for the site are not readily available. In the event of an emergency, the lack of updated information on emergency contacts and preparedness raises concerns about the basin's ability to respond effectively. Climate and water resource enthusiasts may find interest in monitoring the ongoing regulatory oversight and potential improvements to enhance the safety and environmental impact of the Essar Steel Tailings Basin.
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 Essar Steel Tailings Basin -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Prairie River Near Taconite | 146 cfs | → |
| Mississippi River At Grand Rapids | 247 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Essar Steel Tailings Basin.
Boat launches
Campgrounds
- Nashwauk Campground
- Kom-On-In Beach Campground
- North Hibbing Campground
- American Legion Park - Warba
- Warba American Legion
- American Legion Park
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- The Confluence Of The Prairie River To The Boundary Of Logan And Workman Townships
- Dora Lake To State Highway 6
- Lake Winnigigoshish To Blackwater Lake
- The Boundary Between Logan And Workman Townships In Aitkin County To The Dam Entrance Of The Flood Diversion Channel
Track Essar Steel Tailings Basin 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 Essar Steel Tailings Basin
Where does the data for Essar Steel Tailings Basin 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 Essar Steel Tailings Basin.