Dorthae Dam dam
Dorthae Dam
Dorthae Dam, also known as Dorthae Lake, is a privately owned gravity dam located in Laurel, Kentucky, specifically in the city of Corbin. Built in 1926 by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, this dam serves as a critical water supply source for the region, with a storage capacity of 508 acre-feet and a surface area of 36.7 acres. The dam stands at a height of 33 feet and stretches 260 feet in length, containing an uncontrolled spillway with a width of 199 feet.
Managed by the Kentucky Division of Water, Dorthae Dam is regulated, inspected, and enforced by state agencies to ensure its safety and functionality. The dam has been assessed to be in satisfactory condition as of January 2017, with a significant hazard potential and a moderate risk level. With a drainage area of 97 square miles and its location on the Laurel River, Dorthae Dam plays a vital role in water resource management and climate resilience efforts in the region.
Enthusiasts interested in water resources and climate change will find Dorthae Dam to be a fascinating engineering feat with a rich history dating back nearly a century. As a key component of the water supply infrastructure in Laurel, Kentucky, this dam showcases the importance of proper regulation, inspection, and maintenance to ensure the safety and efficiency of water storage facilities. Its role in mitigating flood risks and providing essential water resources to the community highlights the significance of sustainable water management practices in the face of changing climate conditions.
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 Dorthae Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Lynn Camp Creek At Corbin | 10 cfs | → |
| Rockcastle River At Billows | 35 cfs | → |
| Cumberland River At Cumberland Falls | 418 cfs | → |
| Cumberland River At Williamsburg | 353 cfs | → |
| Goose Creek At Manchester | 25 cfs | → |
| Buck Creek Near Shopville | 5 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Dorthae Dam.
Boat launches
- Whitley County
- Grove Whitley County
- Ky 3497 Laurel County
- Redbird Road Whitley County
- I 75 Rockcastle County
- Battleground Road Livingston
Campgrounds
- Levi Jackson Wilderness Road State Park
- White Oak Boat-In Campground
- Grove Boat-In Campground
- Grove Drive-In Campground
- Grove Rec Area
- Craigs Creek Group Use Area
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
- Kentucky Road 679 To Confluence Of Cumberland River
- Kentucky Road 478 To Kentucky Road 679
- Tn/Ky State Line To White Oak Junction
- Turkey Foot Campground To Confluence With South Fork Of Station Camp Creek
Track Dorthae 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 Dorthae Dam
Where does the data for Dorthae 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 Significant 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 Dorthae Dam.