LIMESTONE DRIFT KENTUCKY WATER, TOLD STRAIGHT
FIELD CARD Pool & Access · No. 13-2
Corps lake · US 31E south of Glasgow · Barren County · Central time

Barren River Lake

The developed north shore and the most launches in one run: River Road to Beaver Creek; Lucas Road to The Narrows ramp and marina and the WMA carry-down on Peter Creek; then the state resort park — a free ramp with the lake's only listed cleaning station, marina, lodge and campground.

US 31E · KY 1318 · THE STATE PARK KDFWR coordinates · arms and roads schematic
Boat rampBeaver Creek RampFee · multi-lane · dock · seasonal · 12 sitesMarinaNarrows MarinaNo fee · multi-lane · no dock · marina hoursBoat rampNarrows RampFee · multi-lane · dock · campgroundWalk-in accessBarren River Lake WMACarry-down · no fee · South Lucas Road · pierBoat rampBRL State Park RampNo fee · multi-lane · no dock · cleaning stationBoat rampSRP Campground RampNo fee · single lane · seasonal · park campgroundUS 31EOld Street · River RoadKY 1318 · Lucas RoadN02 miSchematic · launches at KDFWR coordinates · hollow discs are other corridors · dam at the USGS 03312900 gauge
Three numbers to get right
What you hearWhat the primary sources actually say
"The drawdown is one drop."Two stages, 24 feet. 552.0 to 551.0 from 15 Sep to 14 Oct, then 551.0 to 528.0 from 15 Oct to 1 Dec. Refill 15 Mar to 13 Apr (USACE Fill and Drawdown).
"Just read the gauge."Read the right parameter. USGS 03312900 offers 62614 (lake elevation, NGVD29 — compares to 552/528) and 00065 (gage height, local datum — does not). Corps line (270) 646-2122, 7 a.m. Central: the lake runs on Central time.
"Crappie and bass are statewide."Not here. KDFWR: crappie "Must be 10 inches or over"; largemouth and smallmouth "Must be 15 inches or over - Limit 6 per angler"; channel and blue catfish 15 combined, one over 25 in; walleye 18–26 in slot, limit 2.
What coming down actually changes on this road
Year-round, 24 hours: Narrows Ramp (fee, dock), the state park ramp (free, no dock, cleaning station) and Narrows Marina (free, marina hours). Beaver Creek is "Seasonal - 24 Hours" top to bottom and the campground ramp "Seasonal - Limited Hours" — off season, plan on The Narrows or the park (reasoning from the flags; KDFWR prints no winter-pool note here).

What the park's own site would not tell us

parks.ky.gov returned a navigation shell: day-use fees, beach fee and slip prices are status pending. Reservation system: "Park is open March 15 through November 15"; campground "Open through Sun Nov 15 2026". The WMA carry-down is WMA ground: "no camping on management area"; rabbit and quail from 1 November.

LIMESTONE DRIFT
BARREN RIVER LAKE · US 31E Access and limits
Trailered ramp
Carry-down launch
Marina launch
Other corridor · tailwater
Six sites on one road
LaunchLanesFeeSeasonKDFWR directions (verbatim) and flags
Beaver Creek Ramp
asid 24		Multi · dockYesSeasonal 24 h"US 31E SW of Glasgow; right on Old Street, Left on River Road". Corps primitive campground, 12 sites; Corps beach; all seasonal.
Narrows Ramp
asid 28		Multi · dockYesYear-round 24 h"US 31E SW of Glasgow; right on Hwy 1318 (Lucas Road)". Parking 51+. Corps campground, 92 sites; The Narrows Marina.
Narrows Marina
asid 810		Multi · no dockNoLimited hours"US 31E SW of Glasgow; right on Hwy 1318 (Lucas Road)". Parking 51+. Marina hours.
Barren River Lake WMA · carry-down
asid 30		Carry-downNoYear-round 24 h"US 31E SW of Glasgow; right on Hwy 1318 (Lucas Road); left at stop sign on South Lucas Road". No facilities; accessible pier (the Corps' Peter Creek pier). WMA: no camping.
BRL State Park Ramp
asid 26		Multi · no dockNoYear-round 24 h"US 31E SW of Glasgow; right at state park entrance". Parking 51+, marina, cleaning station year-round.
SRP Campground Ramp
asid 811		Single · no dockNoSeasonal, limited"US-31E southwest of Glasgow, turn right at Barren River Lake State Resort Park entrance, left to campground". Parking ≤25.
Limits — four special rules, then statewide
SpeciesSizeDaily creel
White and black crappie10 in minimumstatewide creel
Largemouth and smallmouth15 in minimum6 per angler
Channel and blue catfishno more than 1 over 25 in15 combined
Walleye18–26 in slot — release all between2 per angler
Everything else is statewide — hybrid, white and yellow bass, spotted bass, redear. The walleye slot is a native-strain restoration rule covering the whole Barren River (301 KAR 1:201 §4). KDFWR 2026: summer oxygen "too low to support fish below 15 feet". Attractors: KDFWR GPX and map, no count stated. Camping: The Narrows (Corps, 92 sites, "closed during winter months", 270-646-3094); Beaver Creek (Corps, 12 primitive sites, season pending); state park, 101 sites, (270) 646-2151. Marinas: The Narrows Marina (phone pending); state park marina, rentals, 270-646-2357.
Live level: USGS 03312900, parameter 62614 (NGVD29) · Corps line (270) 646-2122, 7 a.m. Central daily · pools 552.0 / 528.0, spillway 590, record 583.6 ft on 7 Apr 2025, "still rising" (final crest per the Corps) · Corps office (270) 646-2055, hours in Central time · park (270) 646-2151.
Sources: USACE LRD project and recreation pages, Louisville District Fill and Drawdown, DVIDS 494660 / 494755, Corps Lakes Gateway; KDFWR records 77, 78, 79, fifteen access-site records, 2026 Fishing Forecast, WMA 129; USGS 03312900, 03313000; Recreation.gov 233420, 233650, 233698; Ky State Parks reservation system.
Conditions change. Verify pool, access and regulations before you travel. Revised October 2026.
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