Laurel Lake Dam to Lake Cumberland (2 miles)

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 2007-2013 the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers performed an emergency drawdown of Lake Cumberland, which the Laurel is a tributary/headwater of.  The project to repair the dam, the reason for the drawdown, was successfully completed after 6 years and over $300 million in repair cost to prevent seepage of the earthen portion of Wolf Creek Dam.  All Cumberland River Tributaries that headwater into Lake Cumberland are now back to their normal levels sadly removing many good whitewater rapids.  The best time to see these rapids are during the late summer when the lake is drawn down.  Starting November 1 of each year the lake begins to fill back up.