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Kentucky River
The Kentucky River is a tributary of the Ohio River in Kentucky, United States. The 260-mile (420 km) river and its tributaries drain much of eastern and central Kentucky, passing through the Eastern Coalfield, the Cumberland Mountains, and the Bluegrass region. Its watershed encompasses about 7,000 square miles (18,000 km2), and it supplies drinking water to about one-sixth of the population of the state.
The river is no longer navigable above Lock 4 at Frankfort, as concrete bulkheads have been poured behind the upper lock gates of Locks 5–14 to strengthen the dam structures. All fourteen dams are managed by the state-run Kentucky River Authority. The primary importance of the locks today is to maintain a pool that allows the city of Lexington to draw its drinking water from the river. Although the Lexington area receives well over 40 inches (1,000 mm) of precipitation annually, the limestone karst geology of the area allows little natural surface water.
The cities of Winchester, Beattyville, Irvine, Richmond, Lancaster, Nicholasville, Harrodsburg, Wilmore, Versailles, Lawrenceburg, and Frankfort also draw water from the river for their municipal water supplies. It is estimated[by whom?] that more than 700,000 people depend on the river for water.
The main stem of the Kentucky River is formed near Beattyville in Lee County by the confluence of the North, Middle, and South Forks. The river flows generally northwest, in a highly meandering course through the Eastern Coalfield and the Daniel Boone National Forest before turning southwest north of Richmond and then north through Frankfort. It joins the Ohio River at Carrollton.
Approximately 15 miles (24 km) southeast of Boonesborough, the Kentucky is joined by the Red River. Approximately 20 miles (32 km) west of Boonesborough, it is joined by Silver Creek. At High Bridge, it is joined by the Dix River. At Frankfort, it is joined by Benson Creek; this confluence was the junction of Kentucky's three original counties. At Monterey, approximately 10 miles (16 km) north of Frankfort, it is joined by Elkhorn Creek, which drains much of the Inner Bluegrass region.
Between Clays Ferry in Madison County and Frankfort, the river passes through the Kentucky River Palisades, a series of dramatic steep gorges approximately 100 miles (160 km) in length.
The Kentucky River has three major forks: the North, Middle, and South Forks. The Middle and North Forks join near Beattyville to form the Kentucky River, which is joined in turn just downstream of Beattyville by the South Fork. The area between the confluence of the North and Middle Forks and where the South Fork joins is known locally as The Three Forks Country. Between them, the three forks drain nearly 3⁄5 of the 4,423-square-mile (114.6 Ma) central portion of the Eastern Kentucky Coalfield area.
The North Fork Kentucky River is approximately 168 miles (270 km) long. At Airdale, the North Fork has a mean average discharge of approximately 863 cubic feet per second, per data collected during the period 1930–1942.
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Kentucky River AI simulator
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Kentucky River
The Kentucky River is a tributary of the Ohio River in Kentucky, United States. The 260-mile (420 km) river and its tributaries drain much of eastern and central Kentucky, passing through the Eastern Coalfield, the Cumberland Mountains, and the Bluegrass region. Its watershed encompasses about 7,000 square miles (18,000 km2), and it supplies drinking water to about one-sixth of the population of the state.
The river is no longer navigable above Lock 4 at Frankfort, as concrete bulkheads have been poured behind the upper lock gates of Locks 5–14 to strengthen the dam structures. All fourteen dams are managed by the state-run Kentucky River Authority. The primary importance of the locks today is to maintain a pool that allows the city of Lexington to draw its drinking water from the river. Although the Lexington area receives well over 40 inches (1,000 mm) of precipitation annually, the limestone karst geology of the area allows little natural surface water.
The cities of Winchester, Beattyville, Irvine, Richmond, Lancaster, Nicholasville, Harrodsburg, Wilmore, Versailles, Lawrenceburg, and Frankfort also draw water from the river for their municipal water supplies. It is estimated[by whom?] that more than 700,000 people depend on the river for water.
The main stem of the Kentucky River is formed near Beattyville in Lee County by the confluence of the North, Middle, and South Forks. The river flows generally northwest, in a highly meandering course through the Eastern Coalfield and the Daniel Boone National Forest before turning southwest north of Richmond and then north through Frankfort. It joins the Ohio River at Carrollton.
Approximately 15 miles (24 km) southeast of Boonesborough, the Kentucky is joined by the Red River. Approximately 20 miles (32 km) west of Boonesborough, it is joined by Silver Creek. At High Bridge, it is joined by the Dix River. At Frankfort, it is joined by Benson Creek; this confluence was the junction of Kentucky's three original counties. At Monterey, approximately 10 miles (16 km) north of Frankfort, it is joined by Elkhorn Creek, which drains much of the Inner Bluegrass region.
Between Clays Ferry in Madison County and Frankfort, the river passes through the Kentucky River Palisades, a series of dramatic steep gorges approximately 100 miles (160 km) in length.
The Kentucky River has three major forks: the North, Middle, and South Forks. The Middle and North Forks join near Beattyville to form the Kentucky River, which is joined in turn just downstream of Beattyville by the South Fork. The area between the confluence of the North and Middle Forks and where the South Fork joins is known locally as The Three Forks Country. Between them, the three forks drain nearly 3⁄5 of the 4,423-square-mile (114.6 Ma) central portion of the Eastern Kentucky Coalfield area.
The North Fork Kentucky River is approximately 168 miles (270 km) long. At Airdale, the North Fork has a mean average discharge of approximately 863 cubic feet per second, per data collected during the period 1930–1942.