Pend Oreille Mine Nw Tailings Dam Dam
Pend Oreille Mine Nw Tailings Dam
The Pend Oreille Mine NW Tailings Dam in Pend Oreille, Washington, stands as a vital structure managed by a private entity, designed by Knight Piesold. Completed in 2002, this earth dam serves the primary purpose of storing tailings, with a hydraulic height of 67 feet and a length of 800 feet. Despite its modest surface area of 3 acres, the dam boasts significant storage capacity, with a NID storage of 2900 acre-feet.
Maintained by the Washington Dept of Ecology, the Pend Oreille Mine NW Tailings Dam has undergone regular inspections, with its condition assessed as satisfactory as of July 2019. This dam poses a significant hazard potential, yet the risk management measures remain unspecified. While the dam has not experienced modifications in recent years, its emergency action plan status and adherence to guidelines are unclear, pointing to potential areas for improvement in emergency preparedness.
Located offstream from the Pend Oreille River, this dam is a critical component of the region's water resource infrastructure. With its storage capacity and regulatory oversight, the Pend Oreille Mine NW Tailings Dam underscores the importance of proactive monitoring and maintenance in safeguarding against potential hazards and ensuring the safety of surrounding communities and ecosystems.
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 Pend Oreille Mine Nw Tailings Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Outlet Creek Near Metaline Falls | 19 cfs | → |
| Pend Oreille River Below Box Canyon Near Ione | 22,800 cfs | → |
| Columbia River At International Boundary | 101,000 cfs | → |
| Priest R Outflow Nr Coolin | 216 cfs | → |
| Boundary Creek Nr Porthill Id | 40 cfs | → |
| Colville River At Kettle Falls | 63 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Pend Oreille Mine Nw Tailings Dam.
Boat launches
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Campgrounds
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Fishing spots
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River runs
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More reservoirs
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About Pend Oreille Mine Nw Tailings Dam
Where does the data for Pend Oreille Mine Nw Tailings 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 below 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.
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.