Wolf Creek Dam,

        Lake Cumberland, KY

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US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS                                                      BUILDING STRONG®

                                                                            FACT SHEET

                                                                       (As of August 2012)

AUTHORIZATION: Flood Control Act of 1938 (PL 75-761) and the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1946 (PL 79-525).

Statistical Data Dam                     Type:                                                  Concrete-gravity and earthfill Dimensions:     Max Height, feet......................................................................258     Length, feet (concrete, 1796; earth 3940)...........................5,736 Elevations (above mean sea level):     Top of dam.............................................................................773     Top of gates...........................................................................760     Spillway crest..........................................................................723 Quantities:     Concrete, cubic yards...................................................1,380,000     Earthfill, cubic yards....................................................10,016,500 Spillway crest gates:     Number and type..........................................................10, Radial     Size (width and height), feet..............................................50 x 37     Discharge capacity, c.f.s..................................................553,000 Sluices:     Number of conduits.....................................................................6     Size (width and height, feet...................................................4 x 6     Total discharge capacity, c.f.s.............................................9,800 Hydro Power Installation....................................................270,000 kw. in 6 units Rating each generator, kw................................................45,000 Estimated energy output, average yearly kwh.......800,000,000 Reservoir Drainage area,square miles.................................................5,789 Area, acres:     Top of Flood-control pool (El. 760)....................................63,530     Maximum power pool (El. 723)...........................................50,250     Minimum power pool (El. 673)............................................35,820 Storage capacities, acre-feet:     Flood control (El. 760-723)...........................................2,094,000      Power drawdown (El. 723-673).....................................2,142,000     Dead (below El. 673)....................................................1,853,000     Total (below El. 760).....................................................6,089,000 Length of pool at El. 760, river miles.....................................101 Shoreline, pool at El. 760, miles...........................................1,255

TYPE OF PROJECT: Hydropower, Flood and Coastal Storm Damage Reduction, Recreation, Environmental Stewardship, Water Supply .

LOCATION: Wolf Creek Dam and Lake Cumberland is located in Wayne, Russell, Pulaski, Clinton, McCreary, Laurel, and Whitley counties in Southeastern Kentucky on the Cumberland River.  The dam site is at river mile 460.9 or about 10 miles southwest of Jamestown, Kentucky.  Lake Cumberland is a multi-purpose project designed for flood risk management and hydropower.

CONGRESSIONAL INTEREST: Rogers (KY-5), Whitfield (KY-1), McConnell (KY), Paul (KY), Alexander (TN), Corker (TN)

BACKGROUND: Wolf Creek Dam consists of an earth & concrete gravity-type dam, hydropower plant with six generators and ten spillway gates.  Lake Cumberland has 1,255 miles of shoreline and a flood storage reservoir of 2,094,000 acre-feet.

Visitation FY 2011:

3,870,312 visitors

WOL/R Contracting

FY 2010-11:

·Service Contract - $1,246,027.98

·Campgroup Park Attendant-$44,585

WOL/P Contracting

FY 2010-11:

·Sluice Gate Hydraulic Equipment - $108,975.00

·Replace CO2 System - $379,794.00

·Unit Temperature Recorders - $56,760.00

·Mowing Services -

$70,000.00

·Total value of services - $615,529.00

Number of Recreation Areas

Corps: (7)

Other: (7)

BUDGET ($): Estimated project costs are shown below.

 

 

FY 2011 ACTIVITIES:  Operation and maintenance of dam and hydropower plant, recreation and environmental stewardship areas.  Major maintenance includes. (1) The Dam (ranked Class 1 Dam Safety priority Corps-wide) is experiencing significant seepage through the earthen embankment foundation.  Lake elevation is being maintained at lower than normal levels to reduce hydraulic pressure on the foundation.  There are significant impacts to all authorized project purposes due to the pool operating restrictions.  This project has extremely high public recreational use with over 3.5 million visitors. (2) Rehabilitation of the hydraulic sluice gate control equipment.  The sluice gates are lower gates within the dam structure that draws water twenty feet off the bottom of the lake.  These gates serve as additional means to pass water and assist with water quality in the river.  (3) Replaced the existing generator CO2 fire protection system with a modern low pressure system. (4) The mowing services for Wolf Creek dam is not only for appearance for the recreation user but serves as a vital service to assist with the dam safety efforts.     

 

For more information regarding the Laurel River Lake, KY contact Tom Hale CELRN-OP-EKY-A, Phone (606) 679-6337, Thomas.E.Hale@usace.army.mil.