Kentucky River

The Kentucky River is a tributary of the Ohio River, 259 mi (417 km) long, in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The river and its tributaries drain much of the central region of the state, with its upper course passing through the coal-mining regions of the Cumberland Mountains, and its lower course passing through the Bluegrass region in the north central part of the state. Its watershed encompasses about 7,000 sq. mi (18,000 km²). It supplies drinking water to about one-sixth of the population of the state.

Related Topics:
Ohio River - U.S. state - Kentucky - Coal - Mining - Cumberland Mountains - Bluegrass region

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The river is navigable along its entire length because of a series of 14 locks built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and now under the management of 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. Despite the fact that the Lexington area receives well over 40 inches (1000 mm) of precipitation annually, the limestone, karst geology of that area means that surprisingly little natural surface water is found in the region.

Related Topics:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Kentucky River Authority - Lexington - Limestone - Karst - Geology

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