Martins Fork Lake water level — Kentucky
Martins Fork Lake in Kentucky was last measured at 1,309.83 ft (datum NGVD29), as of Aug 31, 2026, 3:30 AM (UTC-04:00) (USGS Water Services). Over its recent trend window the level has been falling (−0.2 ft). This reading is provisional and subject to revision.
- % of conservation pool full
- Not reported
- Storage
- Not reported
- Recent trend
- ↓Falling
−0.2 ft over the trend window
Recent trend
Readings this station published between Jun 2, 2026 and Aug 31, 2026 — a 89-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: USGS site 03400798, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00). Official page for this lake →
About this gauge's record
This site's drainage basin covers approximately 56 sq mi of contributing watershed.
The dam behind Martins Fork Lake
Martins Fork Lake is held back by Martins Fork Dam (also recorded as Martins Fork Lake) , a concrete gravity structure, resisting the reservoir by its own weight alone , standing 120 ft high and running 504 ft along its crest , built across MARTINS FORK OF CUMBERLAND R. in Harlan County , near CAWOOD . It was completed in 1978 , and is owned by USACE - Nashville District (a federal owner) , to a design credited to CELRN.
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;recreation;water supply.
It is founded on rock, with a concrete core. Its spillway is ungated: once the pool reaches the crest, water leaves on its own and the operator cannot hold it back. The spillway opening is 200 ft wide.
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 340 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 21,100 acre-ft against a normal storage of 3,700 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 57,000 cubic feet per second.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record KY03061 , filed by US Army Corps of Engineers — U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, public domain. Water levels above come from USGS Water Services and are a separate source. (How this dam was matched to this gauge →)
How Martins Fork Lake compares nearby
None of the 5 nearby lakes with a current trend are falling right now — this lake's movement looks specific to its own operation rather than shared regional conditions.
Nearby lakes
The six nearest published lakes by centroid distance (great-circle) — cross-state neighbors included.
| Lake | State | Level | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carr Creek Lake | KY | 1,028.03 ft | 57 km |
| Trace Branch at Trace Branch Campground at Confluence | KY | 782.77 ft | 59 km |
| Buckhorn Lake at Buckhorn | KY | 782.23 ft | 68 km |
| North Fork of Pound Lake | VA | 1,611.52 ft | 70 km |
| Laurel River | KY | 1,019.94 ft | 81 km |
| Laurel Dam | KY | — | 93 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of Martins Fork Lake?
- As of Aug 31, 2026, 3:30 AM (UTC-04:00), the pool elevation was 1,309.83 ft (datum NGVD29), provisional and subject to revision. See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
- Is Martins Fork 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 USGS site 03400798, 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.