Overview
Lake Barkley is a roughly 57,900-acre reservoir on the Cumberland River spanning western Kentucky and Tennessee, created when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed Barkley Dam. It is operated as a twin lake with Kentucky Lake, connected by a canal near Grand Rivers, Kentucky, and together they form one of the largest inland recreation complexes in the United States.
With about 1,004 miles of shoreline, Barkley mirrors Kentucky Lake's broad, fertile character — long embayments, open-water flats, and wooded points — and shares the same summer and winter pool elevations so boats can pass freely between the two lakes.
The lake is a premier fishery for crappie, largemouth bass, striped bass, and catfish, with fisheries managed by Kentucky and Tennessee wildlife agencies. State parks, Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, marinas, and public ramps provide extensive access.
Water levels on Lake Barkley are managed by the Corps of Engineers in coordination with TVA's Kentucky Lake around a summer full pool of 359 feet above mean sea level and a winter pool near 354 feet. Monitoring current lake levels is important for boating, fishing, and dock access throughout the year.
Current Conditions
Lake Barkley is currently 2 feet below full pool and has fallen slightly over the past week.
- 7-day trendFallingLatest movement can differ from the seven-day trend.
- 7-day changeDown 0.65 ft
- 30-day changeDown 2.24 ft
- Drought conditionsNo Drought
About This Lake
Learn how this lake is managed, what affects its water level, and where Lake Insights gets its data.
Lake Barkley is a 57,920-acre reservoir on the Cumberland River managed by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.