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Kentucky Lake (Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area).jpg
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Lakes → Kentucky → Kentucky Lake

Kentucky Lake

Kentucky · Reservoir impounded 1944 · near Gilbertsville

160,300 acres 75 ft deep 6 ft clarity Water D
Compare
6.0SCORE
Survey summary · Kentucky
160,300
Surface acres
75 ft
Max depth
2,064 mi
Shoreline
6 ft
Typical clarity
359 ft
Elevation
Kentucky Lake (Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area).jpg Woodlands Trace - A Barge on Kentucky Lake - NARA - 7722892.jpg Kentucky and Barkley Lakes aerial view.jpg

Photographs of Kentucky Lake via Wikimedia Commons. Credit and licence on each image — hover to view, click through to the source.

Kentucky Lake covers 160,300 acres in Kentucky and drops to 75 feet at its deepest point. It is a reservoir impounded in 1944 and managed by TVA. Short-term rental posture: County rules. Confirm at the municipal level before underwriting rental income.

What stands out

  • Large open water, 160,300 acres
  • 2064 miles of shoreline
  • Fishing
  • Boating

Watch outs

  • Nutrient-rich water; seasonal algae blooms are possible
  • TVA Section 26a approval required for any shoreline structure

Score breakdown

WATER RECREATION VALUE ACCESS INVESTMENT
Water 4.1
Recreation 7.2
Value 4.5
Access 7.3
Investment 7.6

Each axis is computed by published formula from this lake's own attributes. How we score.

Water quality grade
Water A
ExcellentClear, low-nutrient water. Typically oligotrophic with high clarity and little seasonal algae.
Water B
GoodHealthy water with moderate clarity. Some seasonal variation, no persistent problems.
Water C
FairProductive water — good fishing, reduced clarity. Algae possible in late summer.
Water D
PoorNutrient-rich or heavily drawn down. Swimmable conditions vary; check before you rely on them.

Computed from measured clarity, trophic state, and drawdown magnitude — not an opinion. See the formula.

Overall score, 1–10
8.0+
ExceptionalStrong on every axis we measure.
7.0–7.9
StrongClearly above average, usually with one standout axis.
6.0–6.9
SolidA good lake with a trade-off worth understanding.
5.0–5.9
MixedReal strengths and real compromises.
Under 5
CompromisedSomething material — volatility, water quality, or access.

Weighted: water 26% · recreation 22% · investment 20% · value 18% · access 14%.

Fishery

CrappieLargemouth bassCatfishSauger

On the water

FishingBoatingBirdingCamping
No USGS gauge on this lake. Water level and clarity figures below come from published lake management data rather than a live sensor.

What the drawdown looks like

Full pool vs winter low · Kentucky Lake
5 ft FULL POOL WINTER LOW

The dock sits at full-pool elevation. At low pool the waterline retreats and the reach to navigable water changes. Scale is illustrative; the 5 ft figure is from published operations for this lake.

Where it is

True shoreline from USGS NHD 478 km²

The outline is this lake's actual boundary from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset, not an approximation — 695 boundary points. Basemap is USGS topographic with contours and hydrography. Switch layers at the top right.

Depth profile

SURFACE 75 ft max avg 24 ft

Idealized cross-section. Max depth 75 ft, average 24 ft. Depth at a specific dock depends on local bathymetry — verify at the property.

Level behaviour

Level stabilityManaged Typical drawdown5 ft Drawdown seasonWinter Trophic stateEutrophic Typical clarity6 ft Water quality gradeD Elevation359 ft Managing authorityTVA

Dock & shoreline

Permitting authorityTVA Section 26a Wake / speed rulesNo-wake in embayments
A dock is never guaranteed. Confirm in writing with TVA Section 26a that the specific parcel is eligible before you remove contingencies.

Short-term rental posture

County rules

Generally permitted, but rules change. Confirm the specific municipality and any HOA covenant.
Model rental income →
Modeled estimates. Market figures are derived from lake attributes and regional patterns, not from MLS data. Treat them as a starting point, not a comp.
$365,000
Median waterfront
$6,134
Per shoreline foot
+10.4%
Year over year
74
Est. inventory
63
Avg days on market
$468
Est. nightly rate

Rental snapshot

Modeled occupancy56% Booked nights / yr147 Gross revenue$77,383 Net operating income$37,031 Yield on median price10.15%
Open the full model →

What a median-priced home on Kentucky Lake actually costs to carry, with waterfront-specific line items most calculators omit.

$3,266
All-in per month
$85,010
Cash to close + setup
$10,755
Beyond P&I, tax, insurance
Where the annual cost goes
$39,198 PER YEAR
Principal & interest $23,077 (61%) Maintenance reserve (1.1%) $4,015 (11%) Property taxes $3,832 (10%) Utilities $2,700 (7%) Hazard insurance $1,533 (4%) Shoreline / seawall reserve $960 (3%) Dock maintenance $900 (2%) Winterization / seasonal close $750 (2%)

Annual carry

Principal & interest$23,077
Property taxes$3,832
Hazard insurance$1,533
Flood insurance$650
Utilities$2,700
Maintenance reserve (1.1%)$4,015
Septic service$520
Well & water testing$260
Dock maintenance$900
Winterization / seasonal close$750
Shoreline / seawall reserve$960
Total$39,198
Model your own numbers →

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