Overview
Nolin River Lake is a roughly 5,800-acre summer-pool reservoir on the Nolin River in Edmonson, Grayson, and Hart counties in west-central Kentucky. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District completed the dam in 1963 primarily for flood control on the Nolin and Green rivers, with recreation and related benefits.
At summer pool the lake has about 172 miles of shoreline, an average depth near 35 feet, and a maximum depth of roughly 100 feet near the dam. Winter drawdown shrinks the surface to about 2,890 acres, exposing flats and changing access along the winding Nolin valley.
The lake supports boating, camping, and fishing for bass, crappie, catfish, and other warmwater species, with fisheries managed by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. Corps recreation areas and nearby Mammoth Cave region tourism draw visitors year-round.
Water levels are managed by the Corps under a seasonal rule curve referenced to NGVD29, with a summer full pool of 515 feet, a winter pool near 490 feet, and flood storage extending to about 560 feet. Monitoring current lake levels is important for boating, fishing, and ramp access as the project stores floodwater and refills each spring.
Current Conditions
Nolin River Lake is currently 0.39 feet above full pool and has remained relatively stable over the past seven days.
- 7-day trendStableLatest movement can differ from the seven-day trend.
- 7-day changeUp 0.05 ft
- 30-day changeDown 0.92 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.
Nolin River Lake is a 5,795-acre reservoir on the Nolin River managed by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.