Berea Reservoir dam
Berea Reservoir
Berea Reservoir, also known as Cowbell Creek Lake, is a local government-owned water supply facility located in Bighill, Kentucky. Built in 1955, this Earth dam stands at a height of 60 feet and spans a length of 540 feet, with a storage capacity of 625 acre-feet. The reservoir serves as a vital source of water for the surrounding community, with a normal storage level of 456.3 acre-feet and a surface area of 16.8 acres.
Managed by the Kentucky Division of Water, Berea Reservoir is regulated, inspected, and enforced by state agencies to ensure its safety and functionality. Despite its low hazard potential, the reservoir is subject to a moderate risk assessment due to its age and lack of recent condition assessment. With an inspection frequency of 5 years, the dam's emergency action plan status and risk management measures remain undisclosed.
Situated on Cowbell Creek in Madison County, Kentucky, Berea Reservoir plays a crucial role in providing water supply to the local community. While its risk assessment indicates a moderate level of potential hazards, ongoing inspections and regulatory oversight by state agencies aim to ensure the safety and reliability of this essential water resource for years to come.
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 Berea Reservoir -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Kentucky River At Lock 12 Near Irvine | · | → |
| Kentucky River At Lock 11 Near College Hill | 428 cfs | → |
| Sturgeon Creek At Cressmont | 3 cfs | → |
| Kentucky River At Lock 9 At Valley View | 430 cfs | → |
| Kentucky River At Lock 8 Near Camp Nelson | 407 cfs | → |
| Kentucky River At Lock 10 Near Winchester | 462 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Berea Reservoir.
Boat launches
- Radford Hollow Road 145, Madison County
- Wilgreen Lake Road Madison County
- Battleground Road Livingston
- Main Street Irvine
- Boone Road Lincoln County
- I 75 Rockcastle County
Campgrounds
- Renfro Valley Boat Dock
- S-Tree Campground Free
- S-Tree Campground
- S - Tree Rec Area
- Turkey Foot Campground
- Turkey Foot Campground Free
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Turkey Foot Campground To Confluence With South Fork Of Station Camp Creek
- 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
Track Berea Reservoir 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 Berea Reservoir
Where does the data for Berea Reservoir 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 Low 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 Berea Reservoir.