Lake Cumberland

History

Lake Cumberland was impounded from the Cumberland River by the United States Army Corps of Engineers' construction of the Wolf Creek Dam, beginning in 1939 and ending with impoundment in 1952 after a delay caused by World War II. The Corps' name for the work is the Wolf Creek Project but Congress named the impoundment Lake Cumberland in 1952, adopting the name promoted by business interests in the area.

Dam repairs

In 1967 a leak was found at the Wolf Creek Dam. Repairs were made in the late 1970s at a cost of over $96 million.

On January 22, 2007, the United States Army Corps of Engineers began lowering the water level in Lake Cumberland, fearing a possible breach in Wolf Creek Dam. Water seepage had again eroded the limestone under the dam, creating the potential for a breach and subsequent flood that would cause damages into the billions of dollars in cities downstream.

By September 2011 Lake Cumberland was approximately 43 ft below its normal level. The drop in water level had a negative impact on the area's tourism industry as marinas and municipalities scrambled to adjust their facilities for the lower water level. The caverns beneath the structure complicated plans for repairs, but a $594 million project to construct a new wall inside the dam was completed by early 2013.

Uses

Power generation

Wolf Creek Dam's six turbines are capable of supplying the needs of an average city (population of 375,000) via 270 megawatts of electricity. The power generating capacity is considered "dead" when the lake's water level is below 673 feet (205 m).

Recreation

In 1999, approximately 4.75 million visitors added more than $152.4 million to the local economy. Of the 383 lakes controlled or maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Lake Cumberland ranks 4th in the nation for the number of visitor hours. Over 1,500 houseboats float on Lake Cumberland and numerous power boats play in its waters.

Lake Cumberland is home to two Kentucky state parks: Lake Cumberland State Resort Park on its shore and General Burnside State Park on an island created by the lake at the confluence of the river and its Big South Fork, along with many other docks and marinas such as:

Docks/Marinas:

• Grider Hill Marina (Albany, KY)
• Beaver Creek Marina (Wayne County, KY)
• Lake Cumberland State Resort Park (Jamestown, KY)
• Jamestown Resort & Marina (Jamestown, KY)
• Wolf Creek Marina (Nancy, KY)
• Lake Cumberalnd Marina(Russel Springs, KY)
• Lee's Ford Marina Resort (Nancy, KY)
• Burnside Marina (Somerset, KY)
• Bunside Island State Park (Somerset, KY)
• Omega Dock (Somerset, KY)
• Marina @ Rowena (Russel County, KY)
• Conley Bottom Resort (Wayne County, KY)

Several of Kentucky's record fish have been taken in the waters of Lake Cumberland, including:

• Brown trout (21 lb)
• Lake trout (5 lb 5 oz)
• Rainbow trout (14 lb 6 oz)
• Sauger (7 lb 7 oz)
• Striped bass (58 lb 4 oz)
• Sturgeon (36 lb 8 oz)
• Walleye (21 lb 8 oz)

Statistics

• The normal summer pool is around 723 feet (220 m) above mean sea level.
• The tree line is about 725 feet (221 m).
• The maximum pool is 760 feet (232 m) at the top of dam floodgates
• The top of Wolf Creek Dam is 773 feet (236 m).
• Lake is considered at "flood control" level from 723 to 760 feet (220 to 232 m).
• Normal power drawdown is between 723 and 673 feet (220 to 205 m).
• At 760 feet (232 m) elevation, the shoreline of Lake Cumberland is 1,255 miles (2,020 km).
• At maximum possible elevation of 760 feet (232 m), Lake Cumberland is considered to be 101 miles (163 km) long, with a total surface area of 65,530 acre.
• Surface area at 723 feet (220 m) is 50,250 acre.
• At minimum power pool of 673 feet (205 m), the surface area is 35,820 acre.
• Average depth of lake at summer pool of 723 feet (220 m) above sea level: 90 feet (27 m)
• Deepest point in lake: original river channel adjacent to Wolf Creek Dam: 200 feet (60 m)
• Depth of river channel upstream of dam to Wolf Creek: generally 160 feet (50 m)
• Depth of river channel upstream of Wolf Creek to one mile (2 km) downstream of Burnside: 280 feet

The lowest water level recorded (since construction) was 675.10 feet (205.77 m) above mean sea level on January 27, 1981. The highest water level recorded was 756.52 feet (230.6 m) above mean sea level at 5:00 AM, February 26, 2019.

References

References

1. (1992). "''The Kentucky Encyclopedia''". The University Press of Kentucky.
2. [[Wolf Creek Dam]] is the 25th largest dam in the United States, and cost $15 million to construct originally, with an additional $65 million needed almost immediately to fix problems which soon became apparent. It is estimated that the dam has prevented more than $500 million in flood damage since its construction. The dam bears the name of the creek that flowed into the river at the original dam site, 14 miles upstream from the constructed site. The Commonwealth, Somerset, Ky., May 26, 1926, p. 5; Cumberland Rver charts at https://usace.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16021coll10/id/10243
3. Alford, Roger. (2007-01-22). "Feds fear a dam break in Ky. and Tenn.". Associated Press.
4. Estep, Bill. (2013-05-25). "With water level higher, optimism rises around Lake Cumberland". [[Lexington Herald-Leader]].
5. Since spring 2014 Lake Cumberland water levels returned to normal operation and water levels.U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Nashville District
6. (2024-02-20). "U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Nashville District - Wolf Creek project, Lake Cumberland: Shoreline management plan, appendix to part II of the operational management plan".
7. Rogers, Allison. (August 2019). "Exploring Lake Cumberland".
8. (2006-04-17). "Kentucky State Record Fish List". Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.