Laurel, Kentucky, US

Laurel Lake Dam to Lake Cumberland (2 miles)

The Bronx

The Bronx
Photo of Jason Foley by Tyler Faulkner taken 7/2003 @ release

River Description

Spectacular scenery, great rapids but tough to catch in its entirety at runnable levels characterizes this 2 mile section of the Laurel River. Releases can provide about 2 miles of fun rapids in very cold water. Even at the height of the summer, paddlers will want to take along their cold weather boating gear since the release water flows from the bottom of Laurel Lake and is "ice cream headache" cold. Unfortunately, due to typical "summer pool" levels for Lake Cumberland, a summertime run on the Laurel could mean that the final (and only class IV) rapid China hole/Whorehouse will be covered under the lake's water.

Putin: just below the Laurel Lake Dam, off KY1193.
Takeout: confluence with the Cumberland River and Lake Cumberland.
Shuttle: Follow KY1193 south across the Laurel River Dam and then go right on KY1277 and follow till it dead ends at the confluence of Laurel River and Lake Cumberland.

In January 2007 the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced an emergency drawdown of Lake Cumberland, which the Laurel is a tributary of. This drawdown of 30-60 feet depending on what time of the year it is ensures that the last rapid will not be covered by the lake like it is most of the year. The project to repair the dam, the reason for the drawdown, is expected to take 2-7 years depending upon the sucess and progress of the project.