Good Question: Where has the water gone at Lake Cumberland?

PULASKI COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT) - For today’s Good Question, Linda asks: I live in Pulaski County, and Lake Cumberland is very low. Has the water been released at the dam? Is it lack of rain? Where has the water gone?

Looking at the numbers online, the water level is about a foot lower than this time last year, around 686 feet, but experts tell us that is still well within normal levels for this time of year.

Robert Dillingham, a hydraulic engineer with the Army Corps of Engineers in Nashville, said, “The historical median elevation for the beginning of December is 691.5. Wolf Creek follows a seasonal guide curve and the elevation typically fluctuates by at least 40 feet every year.”

He said, “The summer and fall drawdown provides multiple benefits including providing healthy stream flows through the typically dry season and also provides additional storage in the lake for flood control during the winter and spring.”

So, while the water may be lower than the summer levels, this is perfectly normal for this time of year.

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