Barren River Lake Water Level
Kentucky · Barren River
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Water level history
About Barren River Lake
Barren River Lake is a reservoir on the Barren River in Kentucky, operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Its full summer pool sits at 552 ft above sea level. Live water levels come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CWMS) and update hourly.
Understanding Barren River Lake's water level
"Full pool" is the elevation U.S. Army Corps of Engineers targets when Barren River Lake is completely filled — 552 feet above sea level. Above that line the Corps deliberately keeps empty "flood storage" to absorb heavy rain, so the lake rarely sits far above 552 ft for long. A reading a few feet under full is usually just the normal operating band rather than a sign of drought.
In a normal year Barren River Lake sits highest through the summer recreation season and lower over winter, when the Corps makes room for storms. Extended dry spells in late summer and fall are what usually pull the lake noticeably below full pool.
The recent high and low above are drawn from the published history available for Barren River Lake, so they show how today compares over that record rather than an all-time extreme. The 12-month and 5-year chart views make the trend and the lake's usual seasonal shape easy to see.
Barren River Lake — frequently asked
What is the current water level of Barren River Lake?
The gauge at the top of this page shows Barren River Lake's current elevation in feet above sea level, updated from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CWMS).
What is full pool for Barren River Lake?
Barren River Lake's full summer pool is 552 feet above sea level. Levels are typically drawn down below that in winter for flood storage.
Who manages Barren River Lake?
Barren River Lake is operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the Barren River.
Where is Barren River Lake located?
Barren River Lake is in Kentucky, on the Barren River.
Why is Barren River Lake low right now?
Reservoir levels fall during dry spells and seasonal drawdown — when U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lowers the pool for flood storage, power, or water supply — and recover after rain and snowmelt. The history chart above shows the recent trend.
What are the record high and low levels for Barren River Lake?
The recent record high and low elevations are shown in the stats on this page, computed from the available published history for Barren River Lake.
Other lakes near Barren River Lake
- Lake BarkleyKY/TN
- Cave Run LakeKY
- Lake CumberlandKY
- Dale Hollow LakeKY/TN
- Green River LakeKY
- Kentucky LakeKY/TN
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