As a result of lower-than-normal rainfall, Water levels for both Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake are about a foot and a half below their normal levels, which is affecting crops in what is a heavily agricultural area.

That is according to officials with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which manages Lake Barkley, and the Tennessee Valley Authority, which manages Kentucky Lake.

Officials with both organizations say both lakes are supposed to be at 359 feet above sea level. David Landis, park ranger with the Corps of Engineers, said Lake Barkley is at 357.4 feet, while Scott Brooks with media relations for TVA said Kentucky Lake is at 357.6 feet.

Both Landis and Brooks say that while their respective agencies are taking steps to improve the situation, more rainfall is needed, with Brooks saying that 2 – 3 inches of rainfall are needed for a normal summer pool of 359 feet.

“It all depends on rainfall,” said Landis.

According to the Kentucky Mesonet, Trigg County saw 1.25 inches of rain in May and 0.93 inches of rain in April. As of Monday, the county has seen 0.02 inches of rain in June – all of it on Sunday, the Mesonet showed. The county received 21.67 inches in April and May last year.

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