Kentucky Lake
Encyclopedia
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
along the Tennessee River
Tennessee River
The Tennessee River is the largest tributary of the Ohio River. It is approximately 652 miles long and is located in the southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. The river was once popularly known as the Cherokee River, among other names...
in Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
and Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. Created in 1944 by the Tennessee Valley Authority
Tennessee Valley Authority
The Tennessee Valley Authority is a federally owned corporation in the United States created by congressional charter in May 1933 to provide navigation, flood control, electricity generation, fertilizer manufacturing, and economic development in the Tennessee Valley, a region particularly affected...
's impounding of the Tennessee River by Kentucky Dam
Kentucky Dam
Kentucky Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Tennessee River on the county line between Livingston County and Marshall County in the U.S. state of Kentucky...
, the 160309 acres (649 km²) lake is the largest artificial lake by surface area in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
east of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
(though not the largest by volume; Lake Cumberland
Lake Cumberland
Lake Cumberland is a reservoir in Clinton, Laurel, McCreary, Pulaski, Russell, and Wayne counties in Kentucky. The primary reasons for its construction were a means for flood control and the production of hydroelectric power. Its shoreline measures 1,255 miles and the lake is spread over at the...
holds that distinction).
It provides a source for hydro-electric
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
power and, as one of the lakes alluded to by the name of Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area
Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area
The Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area is a United States National Recreation Area located in Kentucky and Tennessee between Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake. The area was designated a national recreation area by President John F. Kennedy in 1963...
, is a recreational magnet in western Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
and Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
.
Recreation
The lake holds records for the largest of three species of fish ever taken in Kentucky: white bassWhite bass
The white bass or sand bass The white bass or sand bass The white bass or sand bass (MoroneIt is the state fish of Oklahoma.- Range :White bass are distributed widely across the United States, particularly in the midwest. They are very abundant in Pennsylvania and the area around Lake Erie...
(5 lb.), Buffalo carp (55 lb.), and yellow perch
Yellow perch
The yellow perch is a species of perch found in the United States and Canada, where it is often referred to by the shortform perch. Yellow perch look similar to the European perch, but are paler and more yellowish, with less red in the fins. They have six to eight dark, vertical bars on their sides...
(1 lb., 4 oz). It is also the major attraction for two Kentucky state parks: Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park
Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park
Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park is a park located on the northern shore of Kentucky Lake in Marshall County, Kentucky. The park encompasses , and excellent accommodations make it one of Kentucky's most popular resorts....
to the north and Kenlake State Resort Park
Kenlake State Resort Park
Kenlake State Resort Park is a park located on the western shore of Kentucky Lake. The park's main entrance and most of its facilities are located in Marshall County; the park also extends into Calloway County. The nearest town of substantial size is Murray. The park encompasses of land, of...
to the west.
Making of the Lake
When Kentucky Lake was created during World War II, many farms, homes, towns, roads, and railroads had to be relocated. The most notable community to be affected was BirminghamBirmingham, Kentucky
Birmingham, Kentucky was a town in Kentucky that was destroyed by the creation of Kentucky Lake.Birmingham was located on land owned by Thomas A. Grubbs in 1849, was laid out and platted in 1853 and incorporated in 1860. Early residents included L. S. Locker, Thomas Love and Thomas C. Grubbs...
. Roads that were affected include US 62, US 68, US 79, Kentucky 58, Kentucky 80, Kentucky 94, and several others. Railroads to be relocated include the Illinois Central (now Paducah & Louisville Railroad) and the now-abandoned Louisville & Nashville. The currents of Kentucky Lake have now wiped out most of the remnants of roads and foundations.
Although many homes were moved there still are many homes and buildings below the surface. Many graves were moved, but in the first years following the flooding of the area it was not uncommon for the water to make its way below the lake floor and loosen a lost or forgotten casket and cause it to float to the surface.
Many of the old roads are still used with just a small fence stopping traffic from driving into the lake. If a person stands at the end of the road as it goes into the lake they can usually look across the lake and see the road reappear and also used. Another use of many of the old roads that go into the lake are pre-made public use boat launch ramps.
See also
- Dams and reservoirs of the Tennessee RiverDams and reservoirs of the Tennessee RiverThe Tennessee Valley Authority operates the Tennessee River system to provide a wide range of public benefits: year-round navigation, flood damage reduction, affordable electricity, improved water quality and water supply, recreation, and economic growth....
- Land Between The Lakes National Recreation AreaLand Between the Lakes National Recreation AreaThe Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area is a United States National Recreation Area located in Kentucky and Tennessee between Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake. The area was designated a national recreation area by President John F. Kennedy in 1963...
- Kenlake State Resort ParkKenlake State Resort ParkKenlake State Resort Park is a park located on the western shore of Kentucky Lake. The park's main entrance and most of its facilities are located in Marshall County; the park also extends into Calloway County. The nearest town of substantial size is Murray. The park encompasses of land, of...
- Kentucky Dam Village State Resort ParkKentucky Dam Village State Resort ParkKentucky Dam Village State Resort Park is a park located on the northern shore of Kentucky Lake in Marshall County, Kentucky. The park encompasses , and excellent accommodations make it one of Kentucky's most popular resorts....
External links
- Visitor's guide by Marshall County, KentuckyMarshall County, KentuckyMarshall County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 30,125. The 2007 Census Bureau population estimate was 31,258. Its county seat is Benton. It was a dry county until 2004, when residents of Calvert City voted to allow sales of liquor by the drink in...
Tourist Commission - KentuckyLake.com Kentucky Lake, Lake Barkely & Land Between the Lakes Information
- KentuckyLake.TV Collection of informational videos on Kentucky Lake
- LBLGuide.com Informational site about Kentucky Lake and the Land Between the Lakes area