How deep is lake cumberland in Kentucky?
Lake Cumberland is located in several Kentucky counties.Flood control and the production of hydroelectric power were the primary reasons for its construction.The shoreline is 2,020 km and the lake is 65,530 acres at the maximum power pool elevation.The Commonwealth of Kentucky is covered with 3 inches of water because of the 9th largest water capacity in the U.S.The main lake is over one mile across at its widest point.
The lake is an economic engine for south-central Kentucky.Lake Cumberland was 43 feet below its normal level in September of 2011 due to a leak in the dam's earthen part, but repairs were made and the lake will be back to normal by the end of the year.The lake is now a full summer pool.
The United States Army Corps of Engineers built the Wolf Creek Dam in 1952 to keep Lake Cumberland out of the Cumberland River.Wolf Creek Dam is the 25th largest dam in the United States and cost 15 million dollars to build, but an additional $65 million is needed to fix problems that soon became apparent.More than $500 million in flood damage has been prevented by the dam.
The Wolf Creek Dam had a leak in 1967.The repairs were made in the late 1970s.
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.The potential for a flood that would cause billions of dollars in damages was created by the erosion of the limestone under the dam.[3]
Lake Cumberland was 43 feet below its normal level by September 2011.The drop in water level had a negative impact on the area's tourism industry.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.[4]