LIMESTONE DRIFT KENTUCKY WATER, TOLD STRAIGHT
FIELD CARD Pool & Access · No. 12-4
Corps lake · KY 55 north of Columbia · KY 551 and KY 682 · Holmes Bend and the upper Green River arm · Adair County

Green River Lake

The Adair County side, from the Cumberland Parkway: exit 49, KY 55 north 1.5 miles to KY 551. One Corps complex at Holmes Bend (125-site campground, marina, beach, fee ramp, Fishing Pier 2) and four free, minimal launches: White Oak past the bridge, Arnolds Landing and Snake Creek on side roads, Butler Creek by KY 682.

CUMBERLAND PKWY EXIT 49 · KY 55 · KY 551 · KY 682 Sites at KDFWR coordinates · embayments and roads schematic
Boat rampHolmes BendFee · multi-lane · dock · campground · marinaWalk-in accessFishing Pier 2Pier · no feeWalk-in accessWhite OakCarry-down · past the KY 551 bridgeBoat rampArnolds LandingNo fee · single lane · no dockBoat rampButler CreekNo fee · single lane · no dock · seasonalBoat rampSnake Creek (WMA)No fee · single lane · no dock · gravelKY 55 · ColumbiaKY 551KY 682N02 miSchematic · launches at KDFWR coordinates · hollow discs are other corridors · dam drawn, not surveyed
Three numbers to get right
What you hearWhat the primary sources actually say
"The drawdown is one drop."Two stages. 675.0 to 674.5 from 15 Sep to 14 Oct, then 674.5 to 668.0 from 15 Oct to 1 Dec. Refill 15 Mar to 15 May (USACE Fill and Drawdown).
"Just read the gauge."Read the right parameter. USGS 03305990 offers 62614 (lake elevation, NGVD29 — compares to 675/668) and 00065 (gage height, local datum — does not). Only 120 days stay online.
"Walleye and muskie are statewide."Half right. Walleye is the statewide 14 in and 6. Muskellunge is not: "Must be 40 inches or over", statewide creel; crappie 9-inch minimum.
What coming down actually changes on this road
Holmes Bend is year-round, 24 hours, with a dock and 51-plus paved parking. The three free trailered ramps are single-lane, no dock, unpaved lot — solo launches — and Butler Creek is flagged seasonal. This road puts a kayak nearest the headwaters KDFWR names for spring walleye and white bass; up an arm is also where 7 feet of drawdown shows first (reasoning — KDFWR prints no winter-pool note here).
Snake Creek is on the WMA by name; the other free launches are on WMA-type shoreline. Green River Lake WMA, 21,019 acres (KDFWR), owner U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: "Camping in designated areas only"; rabbit and quail 1 Nov–31 Dec; deer closed except the quota hunt. From Columbia "Highway 551 North (8 miles)".
LIMESTONE DRIFT
GREEN RIVER LAKE · KY 55 NORTH OF COLUMBIA Access and limits
Six sites, two roads off KY 55
LaunchFeeKDFWR record, in the agency's words
Holmes BendYes"KY 55 N of Columbia; right on KY 551; left on Holmes Bend Road". Any trailerable, paved multi-lane, paved parking 51+, courtesy dock, restrooms year-round 24 h, marina, accessible restrooms, parking and pier. Corps campground, 125 sites, staffed 17 Apr–25 Oct 2026; (270) 384-4623.
Fishing Pier 2No"KY 55 N of Columbia; right on KY 551; left on Holmes Bend Road". Fishing pier, paved parking ≤25; other facilities "Unknown" on the record.
White Oak · carry-downNo"KY 55 N of Columbia; right on KY 551; left on first road after crossing lake". Carry-down only, unpaved parking ≤25, no facilities, shoreline year-round.
Arnolds LandingNo"KY 55 N of Columbia; right on KY 551; right on Casey Creek Road, right on Arnold's Landing Road". Paved single lane, unpaved parking ≤25, no dock; facilities "Unknown"; year-round 24 h.
Snake Creek (WMA)No"KY 55 N of Columbia; right on KY 551; right on Snake Creek Road (2 miles); left on gravel road". Paved single lane, unpaved parking ≤25, no dock, no facilities; year-round 24 h.
Butler CreekNo"Kentucky 55 N of Columbia; right on KY 682; left on Bridge Water Road; left at sign". Paved single lane, unpaved parking ≤25, no dock, no restrooms; ramp "Seasonal - 24 Hours".
Limits — two special rules, then statewide
SpeciesSizeDaily creel
Walleye14 in minimum (statewide)6 (statewide)
Muskellunge40 in minimumstatewide creel
White and black crappie9 in minimumstatewide creel
Black bass and white bassstatewidestatewide
Everything else is statewide. No gigging or snagging clause on this record. Below the dam is its own KDFWR water (wid 482): "rod in hand", single hook, "From Green River Lake Dam and extending downstream to the end of the concrete wall"; boats "are not permitted upstream of ramp". KDFWR 2026: summer oxygen "too low to support fish below 17-20 feet". Camping: Holmes Bend (Corps, Recreation.gov 233513). Marina: Holmes Bend, (270) 384-4425. Beach: Holmes Bend, day use, no lifeguard.
Live level: USGS 03305990, parameter 62614 (NGVD29) · Corps line (270) 465-8824, press 2 · tailwater USGS 03306000 is stage and temperature only · pools 675.0 / 668.0, spillway 713, record 705.2 (Jan 1979) · Corps (270) 465-4463 · WMA (270) 283-0244.
Sources: USACE Louisville District Green River Lake, Fishing, Swimming and Fill and Drawdown pages, the LRD recreation page, DVIDS release of 5 Apr 2025, Corps Lakes Gateway; KDFWR waterbody records 73 and 482, the eighteen access-site records, the 2026 Fishing Forecast, the Muskellunge and Walleye pages, the Green River Lake WMA record; USGS 03305990 and 03306000; Recreation.gov; Kentucky State Parks reservation system.
Conditions change. Verify pool, access and regulations before you travel. Revised September 2026.
QR code: https://limestonedrift.com/waterways/green-river-lake/#ld-alertslimestonedrift.comAlerts and the water page
Water alerts. We email when the pool actually moves — including the day stage two starts. limestonedrift.com/alerts/?w=green-river-lake