Wood Creek Lake Dam dam
Wood Creek Lake Dam
Wood Creek Lake Dam, located in Laurel, Kentucky, is a rockfill dam completed in 1969 with a height of 172 feet and a length of 800 feet. It serves as a vital water supply source, with a storage capacity of 44,000 acre-feet and a normal storage level of 23,270 acre-feet. The dam is situated on the Rockcastle River and is regulated by the Kentucky Division of Water.
Despite being assessed as having a fair condition, Wood Creek Lake Dam has been designated as having a high hazard potential. The dam's spillway is uncontrolled, and it poses a moderate risk, with a risk assessment rating of 3. The last inspection in 2017 found the dam to be in fair condition, but its hazard potential underscores the importance of ongoing monitoring and maintenance to ensure the safety and reliability of this critical infrastructure.
Wood Creek Lake Dam's primary purpose of supplying water underscores its crucial role in supporting the surrounding community. With its location in Hazel Patch and its association with the Nashville District of the US Army Corps of Engineers, the dam represents a key component of the region's water resource management strategy. As climate change impacts water resources, the importance of maintaining and enhancing the resilience of dams like Wood Creek Lake Dam becomes increasingly apparent, making ongoing assessment and risk management efforts essential.
Dam data reference
Condition Assessment
- Satisfactory
- No existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. Acceptable performance is expected under all loading conditions (static, hydrologic, seismic) in accordance with the minimum applicable state or federal regulatory criteria or tolerable risk guidelines.
- Fair
- No existing dam safety deficiencies are recognized for normal operating conditions. Rare or extreme hydrologic and/or seismic events may result in a dam safety deficiency. Risk may be in the range to take further action.
- Poor
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized for normal operating conditions which may realistically occur. Remedial action is necessary. POOR may also be used when uncertainties exist as to critical analysis parameters which identify a potential dam safety deficiency.
- Unsatisfactory
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized that requires immediate or emergency remedial action for problem resolution.
- Not Rated
- The dam has not been inspected, is not under state or federal jurisdiction, or has been inspected but, for whatever reason, has not been rated.
Hazard Potential Classification
- High
- Dams assigned the high hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation will probably cause loss of human life.
- Significant
- Dams assigned the significant hazard potential classification are those dams where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life but can cause economic loss, environmental damage, disruption of lifeline facilities, or impact other concerns. Significant hazard potential classification dams are often located in predominantly rural or agricultural areas but could be in areas with population and significant infrastructure.
- Low
- Dams assigned the low hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life and low economic and/or environmental losses. Losses are principally limited to the owner's property.
- Undetermined
- Dams for which a downstream hazard potential has not been designated or is not provided.
Plan around the weather
Same NOAA / yr.no feed Snoflo's iOS app uses. Watch the precipitation column on the meteogram -- rain on the basin upstream typically lifts inflow 24-72 hours later.
Next 5 days, hour by hour
Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.
5-day forecast table
Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind. Each cell is colour-coded relative to the column min/max.
| Time | Condition | Temp (°F) | Snow (in) | Rain (in) | Humidity (%) | Wind (mps) | Wind dir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading detailed forecast… | |||||||
15-day temperature & precipitation
Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks.
Nearby streamflow gauges
USGS streamgauges around Wood Creek Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Rockcastle River At Billows | 35 cfs | → |
| Buck Creek Near Shopville | 5 cfs | → |
| Lynn Camp Creek At Corbin | 10 cfs | → |
| Goose Creek At Manchester | 25 cfs | → |
| Cumberland River At Cumberland Falls | 418 cfs | → |
| Sturgeon Creek At Cressmont | 3 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Wood Creek Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- I 75 Rockcastle County
- Battleground Road Livingston
- Whitley County
- Grove Whitley County
- Ky 3497 Laurel County
- Radford Hollow Road 145, Madison County
Campgrounds
- Wood Creek Lake Ramp - Dfwr
- Levi Jackson Wilderness Road State Park
- S - Tree Rec Area
- S-Tree Campground Free
- S-Tree Campground
- Renfro Valley Boat Dock
Paddle runs
- Kentucky Road 80 Bridge To Downstream Part Of Rockcastle Narrows
- 4 Miles Downstream From The Kentucky Highway 90 Bridge To Confluence With Cane Creek
- Turkey Foot Campground To Confluence With South Fork Of Station Camp Creek
- Kentucky Road 679 To Confluence Of Cumberland River
- Kentucky Road 478 To Kentucky Road 679
- Tn/Ky State Line To White Oak Junction
Track Wood Creek Lake Dam in the Snoflo app
Save this dam as a favorite and get the local NOAA / yr.no forecast plus regional flow context wherever you are.
About Wood Creek Lake Dam
Where does the data for Wood Creek Lake Dam come from?
Structural and regulatory data come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' National Inventory of Dams (NID). Weather forecast comes from NOAA / yr.no -- the same feed Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the report updated?
NID structural data refreshes annually as the Corps publishes updated assessments. The weather forecast refreshes throughout the day.
What does the High hazard rating mean?
The Corps of Engineers' hazard potential classification grades probable consequences if the dam fails: High = probable loss of human life; Significant = no probable loss of human life but possible economic loss / environmental damage; Low = no probable loss of human life, only minor economic / environmental losses. See the Dam Data Reference card above for the full definitions.
What's "% of normal"?
The current storage value compared to the historical average storage on this calendar day. 100% = right on average; values above 100% mean above-normal storage (wet year); values below mean below-normal (dry year or drought).
Can I get alerts when storage crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this dam, set a threshold, and you'll get a push the moment conditions cross.
Other water bodies near here
Snoflo-tracked reservoirs and dams within driving distance of Wood Creek Lake Dam.