Badger Mining Corporation resumed normal operations Monday following a partial failure of an earthen pond levee that caused the evacuation of a number of homes last week.

Badger Mining discovered the problem on a 2-year-old levee on the west portion of their property on Highway P at about 12:20 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 21.

No breach of the levee, injuries or off-site property damage occurred, but almost a dozen homes were evacuated as a precautionary measure. The residents were allowed to return home at about 5 p.m. that same day.

“We are assessing the situation and why it happened,” said Dan Valiquette, vice president of Taylor Operations at Badger Mining Corporation.

The affected areas included the western corner of the town of Curran and the northern part of the town of Springfield in Jackson County; and the southeastern corner of the town of Pigeon and the northeastern corner of the town of Preston in Trempealeau County.

Authorities said there was no immediate threat to the village of Taylor or city of Blair.

The Mine Safety and Health Administration, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Jackson County and Trempealeau County emergency management teams responded to the site. According to John Ross, emergency management director for the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, emergency management teams suggested evacuation of the potential affected areas along Highway W south of the intersection with Nerby Road and along River Road just south of Highway 95.

The roads have since reopened.

Pumps worked to move the foot of standing water that spread across 117 acres of land to another area at the mine following the incident. According to Tiffany J. Martin, a geological and environmental engineer with Badger Mining Corporation, pond levels reached a safe level as of Monday and no longer pose a threat to the area.

According to the company’s website, the Taylor plant processes hydraulic fracturing and gravel packing sands for the use in the extraction of oil and gas. It produces about 800,000 tons of high-quality industrial sand a year for many specialty applications.