page_title: Daniel Boone National Forest
section_title: Water
hierarchical_section_title: Daniel Boone National Forest / Physical geography / Water
caption_attribution_description: English: Aerial view of Laurel River Dam and Lake on the Laurel River above the confluence with the Cumberland River near Corbin, Kentucky, USA. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed the dam and the lake impounded in 1974. The dam is 282 feet (86 m) high and 1,420 feet (433 m) long. The hydroelectric plant in the dam produces 74 MW of electric power.
context_page_description: The Daniel Boone National Forest is a national forest in Kentucky. Established in 1937, it includes 708,000 acres of federally owned land within a 2,100,000 acres proclamation bounty. The name of the forest was changed in 1966 in honor of the explorer Daniel Boone.
  The terrain of the forest is generally rugged, and includes multiple prominent water features. It is home to a range of plant and animal species, although many areas still bear evidence of industrial logging and other practices which took place mostly prior to federal protection. It is a popular recreational and tourist destination which serves a million or more visitors a year, and contains several widely recognized areas which are protected in their own right, including state parks, trails, wilderness areas, and landmarks.
context_section_description: Major river systems include the Licking River, Kentucky River, and Cumberland River, all of which flow into the Ohio River. Four reservoirs are located within the forest, administered by the US Army Corps of Engineers. These are Cave Run Lake, Buckhorn Lake, Lake Cumberland and Laurel River Lake. Taken together, at normal water levels these reservoirs comprise 63,850 acres (25,840 ha) of water. The forest additionally encompasses thousands of miles of smaller streams, many of which flow only after heavy rain. About 12,500 acres (5,100 ha) are classified as riparian zones, while 7,000 acres (2,800 ha) are classified as floodplains or wetlands.
  Water is of an overall good quality, but is impacted by activities related to mining, and exploration for oil and gas. The area averages 46 inches (1,200 mm) of rainfall annually, with thunderstorms occurring an average of 46 days per year. Due to shallow soil, heavy rains may result in severe local flooding, and conversely, many tributaries may become completely dry during periods of little rainfall.
caption: Areal view of the dam at Laurel River Lake
exif: {}