HISTORY
The Kentucky Lake Project was established for the purpose of flood control of the lower Ohio and the Mississippi Rivers, navigational purposes, electricity generation, and recreation.
Preliminary construction of the dam was started July 1, 1938 and was the seventh main river dam to be completed by the TVA. The dam was completed in September, 1944. The reservoir began filling August 30, 1944; the lock was opened for navigation on September 12, 1944; and power generation began September 14, 1944. The last of the five generating units was placed in operation January 16, 1948.
Employment for construction of the Kentucky Reservoir Project reached its peak in 1942 totalling 4,861 employees.The total project took 51,964,077 man-hours to be completed. During the construction of the reservoir there were 18 fatalities, 12 alone on the dam itself. Reports show that 2,609 families were relocated for the construction of the dam and reservoir and 3,390 graves were removed. The construction of the reservoir caused the relocation of 337.4 miles of highway and 35.2 miles of railroad track, the construction or adjustment of 104.3 miles of utility line, and the building of 65 new bridges, seven reconstructed bridges, and three bridges to be raised totalling 23,492 feet of bridge construction.
The initial cost of the project totaled $118,529,389.52, including the costs for land acquisition, and building of the locks, the five generating units, and the switchyard.
Construction of the dam required 1,356,001 cubic yards of concrete; 12,771 tons of reinforcement steel; 3,495 tons of structural steel; and 733,952 bags of foundation grouting cement. Because of the depth of the foundation rock, the completed structure is more than half submerged and at the deep west abutment wall, only about 90 feet of the 206 foot high structure is exposed to view. The total length of the dam is 8,422 feet, including the power house intake and service bay, navigation lock, and earth and embankments.
Due to a violent earthquake disturbance centered around New Madrid, Missouri, in the early 1800s all primary water retaining elements of the dam are designed for earthquake shock.
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