| Lake Cumberland | |
|---|---|
 Lake Cumberland as viewed at Wolf Creek Dam | |
  Lake Cumberland  Lake Cumberland | |
| Location | Clinton, Pulaski, Russell, Wayne, Laurel, Counties in Kentucky |
| Coordinates | 36°53′20″N 85°3′0″W / 36.88889°N 85.05000°W |
| Primary inflows | Cumberland River |
| Primary outflows | Cumberland River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 102.4 sq mi (265.2 km2) (area at full pool) |
| Average depth | 90 feet (27.4 m) |
| Max. depth | 197 feet (60 m) |
| Water volume | Maximum: 6,089,000 acre⋅ft (7.511 km3) |
| Surface elevation | 722 feet (220 m) |
Lake Cumberland is a reservoir in Clinton, Pulaski, Russell, Wayne, and Laurel, counties in Kentucky.[1] The primary reasons for its construction were a means for flood control and the production of hydroelectric power. Its shoreline measures 1,255 miles (2,020 km) and the lake covers 65,530 acres (265 km2) at the maximum power pool elevation. The reservoir ranks 9th in the U.S. in size, with a capacity of 6,100,000 acre-feet (7.5 km3) of water, enough to cover the entire Commonwealth of Kentucky with 3 inches (76 mm) of water. The main lake is 101 miles (163 km) long and over one mile (1.6 km) across at its widest point.
The lake has become a major source of tourism and an economic engine for south-central Kentucky. As of September 2011 Lake Cumberland was approximately 43 feet (13 m) below its normal level due to leakage in the earthen part of the dam, but repairs were completed in 2009 and officials estimated that lake levels would be back to normal by 2014–2015. As of April 18, 2015, the lake is back to full summer pool.
- ^ Kleber, John E., ed. (1992). "Lakes". The Kentucky Encyclopedia. Associate editors: Thomas D. Clark, Lowell H. Harrison, and James C. Klotter. Lexington, Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0-8131-1772-0.