Kentucky River Lock & Dam 6 is a timber crib dam located in Mercer County, Kentucky, built in 1891. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 34 ft34 ft tall and 465 ft long, taller than 78% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Kentucky River Lock & Dam 6
The primary purpose of Kentucky River Lock & Dam 6 is navigation. The dam maintains water levels sufficient for boat and barge traffic, supporting commercial or recreational navigation on the waterway. The dam is owned by Commonwealth of Kentucky (state). It impounds the Kentucky River near Tyrone.
The dam stands 34 feet tall and stretches 465 feet across, has a maximum storage capacity of 16,310 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 5,102 square miles. Completed in 1891, the structure is over a century old.
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. The most recent inspection on record was 08/16/2021.
At 34 feet, this dam is taller than 78% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Kentucky |
| County | Mercer |
| Nearest City | Tyrone |
| River/Stream | Kentucky River |
| Coordinates | 37.92678, -84.82148 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Timber Crib |
| NID Height | 34 ft |
| Dam Height | 34 ft |
| Dam Length | 465 ft |
| Year Completed | 1891 (135 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 16,310 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 16,310 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 12,000 acre-ft |
| Drainage Area | 5,102 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Navigation |
| Owner | Commonwealth of Kentucky |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 08/16/2021 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | KY01199 |
| Federal ID | KY01199 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |