Localwaters

Kentucky Lake is a major navigable reservoir along the Tennessee River in Kentucky and Tennessee. Created in 1944 by the Tennessee Valley Authority’s impounding of the Tennessee River by Kentucky Dam, the 160,309-acre (649 km²) lake is the largest artificial lake by surface area in the United States east of the Mississippi River (though not the largest by volume; Lake Cumberland holds that distinction).

It provides a source for hydro-electric power and, as one of the lakes alluded to by the name of Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area, is a recreational magnet in western Kentucky and Tennessee. Description above courtesy of Wikipedia

Kentucky Reservoir is home to many varieties of fish, including largemouth and smallmouth bass, catfish, bluegill, sauger, and crappie. Numerous boat docks and launching ramps dot the coves of Kentucky’s shoreline.

Located on Kentucky’s shores are the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, four state parks, the Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge, numerous public access areas, and two state wildlife management areas. There are resorts and campsites, areas for swimming and picnicking, and a back-country area for off-road vehicles.

Water skiing, sailing, and windsurfing are popular, as well as bicycling, horseback riding, hunting, and fishing.

TVA utilizes the reservoir’s strategic location and vast storage capacity to help reduce flood crests on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. Kentucky Dam is also a major producer of hydroelectric power.

The filling of Kentucky Reservoir in 1945 opened the Tennessee River to year-round navigation and linked the Tennessee Valley with the nation’s Inland Waterway System.

Description above courtesy of TVA

Please consider showing your appreciation of Kentucky Lake by picking up some litter during your next visit, many hands make light work.