Fishtrap Lake water level — Kentucky
Fishtrap Lake in Kentucky was last measured at 757.46 ft (datum NGVD29), as of Aug 22, 2026, 1:15 PM (UTC+00:00) (USACE CWMS Data). Over its recent trend window the level has been rising (+0.2 ft).
- % of conservation pool full
- Not reported
- Storage
- 24,828 acre-ft
- Recent trend
- ↑Rising
+0.2 ft over the trend window
Recent trend
Readings this station published between Jun 2, 2026 and Jun 7, 2026 — a 5-day window — downsampled for display.
Data: USGS Water Services (waterservices.usgs.gov) and USACE CWMS Data (cwms-data.usace.army.mil), retrieved 2026-08-31. Both public domain (a work of the U.S. Government, 17 U.S.C. §105).
Source: USACE LRH/Fishtrap-Lake, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00). Official page for this lake →
About this gauge's record
USACE's continuous elevation record for this project begins in 2013 (2 tracked series for this project).
The dam behind Fishtrap Lake
Fishtrap Lake is held back by Fishtrap Dam (also recorded as Fishtrap Lake) , a rockfill embankment — quarried rock placed in compacted layers around a sealing core , standing 195 ft high and running 1,100 ft along its crest , built across LEVISA FORK OF BIG SANDY RIVER in Pike County , near MILLARD . It was completed in 1969 , and is owned by USACE - Huntington District (a federal owner) , to a design credited to CELRH.
Its recorded primary purpose is flood risk reduction — the pool is drawn down between storms so there is empty space waiting for the next flood, which is why this level can fall in dry weather and climb sharply after rain . It also serves flood risk reduction;other;fish and wildlife pond;recreation.
It is founded on soil, with a earth core. Its spillway is gated, so the operator can hold the pool above the spillway crest and meter what leaves. The spillway opening is 228 ft wide. Its outlet works use slide (sluice gate)4;tainter (radial)4.
NID classes it high hazard potential. That describes what a failure would cost downstream — loss of life would be expected — and says nothing about how likely a failure is, or what condition the dam is in.
At its normal pool the reservoir covers about 1,131 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 164,360 acre-ft against a normal storage of 37,720 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 298,200 cubic feet per second.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record KY03028 , filed by US Army Corps of Engineers — U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, public domain. Water levels above come from USACE CWMS Data and are a separate source. (How this dam was matched to this gauge →)
How Fishtrap Lake compares nearby
2 of 6 nearby lakes with a current trend are also rising right now.
Nearby lakes
The six nearest published lakes by centroid distance (great-circle) — cross-state neighbors included.
| Lake | State | Level | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| J.w. Flannagan Reservoir | VA | 1,396.53 ft | 23 km |
| North Fork of Pound Lake | VA | 1,611.52 ft | 39 km |
| Dewey Lake | KY | 650.50 ft | 44 km |
| River.d. Bailey Lake | WV | 1,035.39 ft | 56 km |
| Carr Creek Lake | KY | 1,028.03 ft | 59 km |
| Paintsville Lake | KY | 709.57 ft | 61 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of Fishtrap Lake?
- As of Aug 22, 2026, 1:15 PM (UTC+00:00), the pool elevation was 757.46 ft (datum NGVD29). See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
- Is Fishtrap Lake full right now?
- Its managing agency does not publish a %-of-conservation-pool-full figure for this lake, so we show the bare level rather than estimate one.
- Where does this data come from?
- From USACE LRH/Fishtrap-Lake, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00).
More in Kentucky
See every lake tracked in Kentucky, or read the methodology behind these figures.