Rough River Lake Water Level
Kentucky · Rough River
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Water level history
About Rough River Lake
Rough River Lake is a reservoir on the Rough River in Kentucky, operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Its full summer pool sits at 495 ft above sea level. Live water levels come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CWMS) and update hourly.
Understanding Rough River Lake's water level
"Full pool" is the elevation U.S. Army Corps of Engineers targets when Rough River Lake is completely filled — 495 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 495 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 Rough 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 Rough 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.
Rough River Lake — frequently asked
What is the current water level of Rough River Lake?
The gauge at the top of this page shows Rough 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 Rough River Lake?
Rough River Lake's full summer pool is 495 feet above sea level. Levels are typically drawn down below that in winter for flood storage.
Who manages Rough River Lake?
Rough River Lake is operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the Rough River.
Where is Rough River Lake located?
Rough River Lake is in Kentucky, on the Rough River.
Why is Rough 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 Rough River Lake?
The recent record high and low elevations are shown in the stats on this page, computed from the available published history for Rough River Lake.
Other lakes near Rough River Lake
- Lake BarkleyKY/TN
- Barren River LakeKY
- Cave Run LakeKY
- Lake CumberlandKY
- Dale Hollow LakeKY/TN
- Green River LakeKY
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