Sands Hill Slurry Impoundment Dam dam
Sands Hill Slurry Impoundment Dam
Sands Hill Slurry Impoundment Dam, located in Vinton, Ohio, is a privately owned rockfill dam completed in 1992 with a height of 131 feet and a length of 900 feet. The dam primarily serves the purpose of storing tailings and has a storage capacity of 1200 acre-feet. It is regulated by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and undergoes regular inspections to ensure its safety and compliance with state regulations.
The dam poses a high hazard potential due to its size and location near the tributary to Sugar Run. Despite being in operation for nearly three decades, the condition of Sands Hill Slurry Impoundment Dam has not been rated. Emergency action plans and risk management measures for the dam are not readily available, raising concerns about the level of preparedness in case of a catastrophic event. With its proximity to residential areas and environmental resources, the safety and maintenance of this dam are crucial for protecting the surrounding community and ecosystem.
As a significant structure in the Louisville District of the US Army Corps of Engineers, Sands Hill Slurry Impoundment Dam requires continued monitoring and assessment to mitigate potential risks and ensure its long-term stability. The involvement of private ownership, state regulators, and engineering consultants like Bowser-Morner, Inc. underscores the collaborative efforts needed to safeguard water resources and address climate-related challenges in the region. By prioritizing safety measures and investing in infrastructure improvements, Sands Hill Slurry Impoundment Dam can fulfill its critical role in managing tailings while minimizing environmental impacts and enhancing overall resilience to changing climate conditions.
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 Sands Hill Slurry Impoundment Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Little Raccoon Creek Near Ewington Oh | 18 cfs | → |
| Raccoon Creek Near Bolin Mills Oh | 47 cfs | → |
| Raccoon Creek At Adamsville Oh | 11,600 cfs | → |
| Scioto River At Higby Oh | 1,900 cfs | → |
| Hocking River At Athens Oh | 272 cfs | → |
| Monday Creek At Doanville Oh | 48 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Sands Hill Slurry Impoundment Dam.
Track Sands Hill Slurry Impoundment 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 Sands Hill Slurry Impoundment Dam
Where does the data for Sands Hill Slurry Impoundment 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 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 Sands Hill Slurry Impoundment Dam.