Lake Cumberland is an artificial lake in Clinton, Laurel, Pulaski, Russell, and Wayne counties in Kentucky. The primary reasons for its construction were a means for flood control and the production of hydroelectric power. Its shoreline measures 1,255 miles (2,020 km) and the lake is spread over 65,530 acres (265.2 km²) at the top of the power pool. The reservoir ranks 9th in the U.S. in size, with a capacity of 6.1 million acre-feet (7.5 km³) of water, enough to cover the entire Commonwealth of Kentucky with 3 inches (76 mm) of water. The main lake is long and over one mile (1.6 km) across at its widest point. The lake has become a major source of tourism and an economic engine for south-central Kentucky.
