The depth of Kentucky’s Lake Cumberland depends on exactly what part of the lake you’re at. If you imagine a lake like an upside-down mountain, you can see why the depth would differ depending on your exact location.
The average depth of Lake Cumberland is around 90 feet . However, it reaches around 197 feet near the Wolf Creek Dam , where the water is the deepest. The water fluctuates a lot, though. It’s important to realize that these aren’t exact numbers.
Rainfall, evaporation, and dam operations affect the lake’s depth the most. The depth will be much lower during droughts, as you might imagine.
Where is Lake Cumberland on a Map?
Lake Cumberland is in southern Kentucky, traveling across five different counties: Pulaski, Wayne, Russell, McCreary, and Clinton. The lake is incredibly large, spanning over 1,200 miles of shoreline. It covers around 50,000 acres, which fluctuates depending on the water depth.
How Did Lake Cumberland Form?
Lake Cumberland isn’t a natural lake. Instead, it is a reservoir created by humans. The major player in creating it was the Wolf Creek Dam, which was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It was finished in 1952. This huge dam stretches 266 feet tall and over 2,300 feet across the Cumberland River.