Right now
Kentucky Lake water level
Kentucky Lake is at 355.17 ft, holding steady over the last 24 hours, 0.13 ft above TVA’s guide level for the date. Below Kentucky Dam, generation is scheduled all day on Oct 1.
Kentucky Lake level
355.17 ft
Reading at Midnight CDT, Sep 30
Last 24 hours
▶ 0.02 ft
Holding steady since Midnight CDT Sep 29
Against TVA’s target
0.13 ft above
TVA guide level for Sep 30: 355.04 ft
Release from Kentucky Dam
14,116 cfs
Hourly average, Midnight CDT, Sep 30
Tailwater level
302.40 ft
Below Kentucky Dam, Midnight CDT, Sep 30
Same date last year
355.21 ft
Midnight level, Sep 30
Readings are hourly, in feet above sea level, from the Tennessee Valley Authority. The page checks TVA again each time it opens, and the reading time shows how recent the numbers are.
Below the dam
Kentucky Dam generation schedule
TVA posts the hours Kentucky Dam is scheduled to run its generators, for today and the start of tomorrow. Generating hours are when water is being released through the turbines and the current below the dam is moving. The schedule can change during the day.
Oct 1
- Midnight to 6 AM CDT3 generators
- 6 AM to Midnight CDT4 or more generators
1 generator2 or moreNo generationNot posted
Next few days
Kentucky Lake level forecast
TVA’s forecast of the Kentucky Lake level at midnight, with the average flow it expects into and out of the lake each day.
| Day | Midnight level | Average inflow | Average outflow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1 | 355.23 ft | 28,242 cfs | 26,585 cfs |
| Oct 2 | 355.21 ft | 24,080 cfs | 24,868 cfs |
| Oct 3 | 355.25 ft | 26,635 cfs | 24,310 cfs |
The year so far
Kentucky Lake level this year against TVA’s guide
Each line is the Kentucky Lake level at midnight. The 2026 line runs up to the latest day TVA has published.
20262025TVA guide levelOperating zone
TVA’s guide level for Kentucky Lake peaks at 359.00 ft, first reached on May 1, and is lowest at 354.00 ft, first reached on Jan 1.
Weather
Kentucky Lake weather and wind forecast
Thu, Oct 1 night
65°F
Partly Cloudy
Wind S 5 mph
0% chance of rain
Thu, Oct 1
89°F
Mostly Sunny
Wind S 5 to 10 mph
1% chance of rain
Thu, Oct 1 night
70°F
Partly Cloudy then Slight Chance Rain Showers
Wind S 5 mph
22% chance of rain
Fri, Oct 2
81°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
Wind WNW 5 mph
87% chance of rain
Fri, Oct 2 night
64°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
Wind NNE 5 mph
87% chance of rain
Sat, Oct 3
74°F
Chance Rain Showers then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Wind NE 5 mph
53% chance of rain
National Weather Service forecast, updated 12:16 AM, Thu, Oct 1.
Sun and moon, Thu, Oct 8
Tournaments
Kentucky Lake tournament schedule
Phoenix Bass Fishing League Team/Solo
Mar 20, 2027 · Major League Fishing
Launch: Paris Landing State Park, Buchanan
Toyota Series
Apr 1–3, 2027 · Major League Fishing
Launch: Paris Landing State Park, Buchanan
Phoenix Bass Fishing League Team/Solo
May 15, 2027 · Major League Fishing
Launch: Paris Landing State Park, Buchanan
Bigger purchases
Gear compared for a boat on Kentucky Lake
The electronics, motors, boats and batteries that cost real money, compared side by side with the Tennessee water each one suits. Affiliate links.
Go fishing
Where to fish Kentucky Lake
Other lakes
More Tennessee River lakes levels
Common questions
Kentucky Lake level questions
What level does TVA aim to keep Kentucky Lake at?
TVA’s guide level for Kentucky Lake peaks at 359.00 ft, first reached on May 1, and is lowest at 354.00 ft, first reached on Jan 1.
When does Kentucky Dam generate?
TVA posts the Kentucky Dam generation schedule for the current day and the start of the next. This page shows it hour by hour. Outside the posted hours the dam may still release a small minimum flow.
What does the Kentucky Lake level mean?
It is the height of the lake surface in feet above sea level, measured at Kentucky Dam. A change of a foot or two moves the shoreline, the depth at the end of a ramp and where fish hold in the coves.
Where does the Kentucky Lake data come from?
From the Tennessee Valley Authority’s published lake data: hourly readings for the last 48 hours, the generation schedule, a three-day forecast and the operating guide for the year.
Where can I launch a boat on Kentucky Lake?
TWRA lists 86 public access points on Kentucky Lake, 82 of them with a boat ramp. The Kentucky Lake page has directions to each.
Lake levels, releases, generation schedules and forecasts come from the Tennessee Valley Authority. Tennessee Fishing Spots is not affiliated with TVA. TVA’s lake data does not include water temperature, so none is shown.
Keep going
More Kentucky Lake water, and who fishes it
Every guide and charter on this site is listed by the water they run, so you can call the captain direct. Licences, limits and the state record list are one click away too.