Pennyrile Lake
Pennyrile Lake is a gravity dam located in Christian County, Kentucky, built in 1940. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Pennyrile Lake
The primary purpose of Pennyrile Lake is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Commonwealth Of Kentucky (state). It impounds the Clifty Creek near Pennyrile Forest State Park.
The dam stands 30 feet tall and stretches 200 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 47 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 691 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 3 square miles. Completed in 1940, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
This dam has a low hazard potential classification, meaning that failure would cause minimal damage, limited primarily to the dam owner's property, with no expected loss of life. Its condition is rated fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 03/02/2017.
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Location
| State | Kentucky |
| County | Christian |
| Nearest City | Pennyrile Forest State Park |
| River/Stream | Clifty Creek |
| Coordinates | 37.07319, -87.66498 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Gravity |
| NID Height | 30 ft |
| Dam Height | 30 ft |
| Dam Length | 200 ft |
| Year Completed | 1940 (86 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 691 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 691 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 498 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 47 acres |
| Drainage Area | 3 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 03/02/2017 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | KY00173 |
| Federal ID | KY00173 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |