Yatesville Dam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yatesville Lake |
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Yatesville Dam and Lake
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 Yatesville Lake
Location in Kentucky
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| Location | Lawrence County, Kentucky, United States |
| Coordinates | 38°07′34″N 82°41′49″W / 38.12611°N 82.69694°W |
| Type | Reservoir |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. depth | 60 ft (18 m) |
Yatesville Lake is a beautiful lake in eastern Kentucky. It was created by the Yatesville Dam. This dam is located in Lawrence County, Kentucky, near the town of Louisa. The lake and dam are important for controlling floods and offer many fun activities.
Contents
Building Yatesville Dam and Lake
The Yatesville Dam was built in 1988. The United States Army Corps of Engineers constructed it. It is an earthen dam, meaning it's made mostly of earth and rock. The dam is 156 feet tall and 855 feet long. It holds back the waters of Blaine Creek. This creek is a branch of the Big Sandy River. The dam helps prevent floods and manages stormwater. The Huntington District of the Army Corps of Engineers takes care of the dam.
About Yatesville Lake
Yatesville Lake is a winding lake shaped like a snake. It covers about 3.5 square miles of water. The lake can hold a lot of water, up to 83,300 acre-feet. An acre-foot is the amount of water needed to cover one acre of land with water one foot deep. The deepest part of the lake is 60 feet. On average, the lake is about 17.7 feet deep. The shoreline of the lake is very long, stretching 93.9 miles. This is measured when the lake is at its normal summer level.
Fun Things to Do at Yatesville Lake
Yatesville Lake is a great place for outdoor fun. You can go fishing in the lake. There are also trails for hiking around the area. If you like golf, there's an 18-hole golf course. It's part of the Yatesville Lake State Park.
Exploring the History of Yatesville Lake
The area around Yatesville Lake has an interesting past. There are a few exhibits that show what life was like long ago.
Adams Cabin Exhibit
At the Project's Information Center, you can see the Adams Cabin. This cabin was built in the mid-1800s. It used to be on a large farm near Blaine Creek. A family of eleven people lived there. When the lake was being built, the cabin was carefully taken apart. Then, it was moved and put back together at the Information Center.
Wicket Dam Exhibit
There is also a Wicket Dam Exhibit at the Information Center. From 1875 to the early 1900s, the Corps of Engineers built 53 special dams. These were called wicket dams. They helped boats travel easily on the Ohio River all year. This exhibit shows how these dams worked. They made it possible for boats to go from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, all the way to Cairo, Illinois.
Oil Well Exhibit
Near the Project Office, you can find an Oil Well Exhibit. This exhibit shows old oil well equipment. It was taken from an oil field at Little Blaine Creek. This was done before the lake's water covered the area. The exhibit teaches you how oil was commonly produced a long time ago.
