Paintsville Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Paintsville Lake |
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Lake and Dam
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 Paintsville Lake
Location in Kentucky
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| Location | Johnson and Morgan Counties, Kentucky |
| Coordinates | 37°50′23.34″N 82°52′15.56″W / 37.8398167°N 82.8709889°W |
| Type | reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Paint Creek |
| Primary outflows | Paint Creek |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 26 miles (42 km) |
| Surface area | 1,139 acres (4.61 km2) |
| Max. depth | 100 feet (30 m) |
| Water volume | 40,700 acre-feet (50,200,000 m3) |
| Shore length1 | 57 miles (92 km) |
| Surface elevation | 709 feet (216 m) |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Paintsville Lake is a large, man-made lake, also known as a reservoir, located in eastern Kentucky. It covers about 1,139 acres (4.6 square kilometers) and is found in both Johnson and Morgan counties. This lake was created in 1983 by the United States Army Corps of Engineers when they built a dam across Paint Creek. Today, Paintsville Lake is the main attraction of Paintsville Lake State Park, offering lots of outdoor fun!
The Story of Paintsville Lake
Paintsville Lake first opened its waters to the public in 1983. This was a few years before Paintsville Lake State Park was officially created around it.
During the construction of the dam, there was an interesting event. On December 9, 1978, heavy rain caused a small leak in a temporary dam. This temporary dam was keeping the main construction area dry. As a safety measure, about ten thousand people living nearby were asked to leave their homes for a short time. Luckily, the main dam was strong and did not break. Everyone was able to return home safely the very next day!
What Fish Live in Paintsville Lake?
Paintsville Lake is a popular spot for fishing because it's home to many different kinds of fish. If you enjoy fishing, you might catch some of these species:
- Bass, including Largemouth bass and Smallmouth bass
- Catfish, like the Channel catfish
- Trout, such as Rainbow trout
- Sunfish
- Perch
- Walleye
Gallery
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Paintsville Lake spillway
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Rocky Knob Recreational Area
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Paintsville Lake as viewed from the Kiwanis Trail
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Paintsville Lake's emergency spillway
