LIMESTONE DRIFT KENTUCKY WATER, TOLD STRAIGHT
FIELD CARD Pool & Access · No. 14-1
Corps lake · KY 728 east off KY 259 · Edmonson County · Central time

Nolin River Lake

The Corps end of the lake and its only two courtesy-dock ramps: the Nolin Dam Ramp (the Corps' Van Meter / Site One) and the Tailwater area below the dam off KY 728, and Nolin Lake State Park's free Brier Creek Ramp, year-round campground and beach up KY 1827.

KY 259 · KY 728 · KY 1827 · THE DAM KDFWR coordinates · dam drawn at USGS 03310900 · schematic
Dam / tailraceNolin River Damsummer 515 · winter 492 ft NGVD29 · drawnTailwater Rampits own water · single lane · no feeBoat rampBrier Creek RampNo fee · multi-lane · dock · state parkBoat rampNolin Dam RampFee · multi-lane · dock · Corps Van Meter / Site OneKY 259KY 728KY 1827N01 miSchematic · launches at KDFWR coordinates · hollow discs are other corridors · dam drawn at the USGS 03310900 gauge
Three numbers to get right
What you hearWhat the primary sources actually say
"The drawdown is one drop."Two stages, 23 feet. 515.0 to 514.5 from 15 Sep to 14 Oct, then 514.5 to 492.0 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 03310900 offers 62614 (lake elevation, NGVD29 — compares to 515/492) and 00065 (gage height, local datum — does not). Corps office (270) 286-4511: the lake runs on Central time.
"Crappie, bass and walleye 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"; walleye "Must be 14 inches or over, Limit 6 per angler".
What coming down actually changes on this road
Both ramps are flagged "Year Round - 24 Hours", and the Corps names Van Meter as one of its two year-round ramps ("The Arnold Van Meter aka Site One, located at the dam, Moutardier ramps are open year-round."). No agency page gives a per-ramp winter note for this lake — the pool figures and the flags are all that is printed. Reasoning, labelled: this is the deep end, where 23 feet leaves the most water; the seasonal launches are all up the arms.

The tailwater record carries a closure note

KDFWR asid 157: "The Nolin River Lake Tailwater Boat Ramp is temporarily closed due to reduced water levels following the partial failure of Lock and Dam 6 on the Green River." NPS says that 2016 failure ended in the dam's removal and calls the paved ramp current. Call the Corps first — status pending.

LIMESTONE DRIFT
NOLIN RIVER LAKE · KY 728 Access and limits
Trailered ramp
Single lane · light trailers
Marina launch
Other corridor · tailwater
Two sites on the dam road — and the tailwater
LaunchLanesFeeSeasonKDFWR directions (verbatim) and flags
Nolin Dam Ramp
asid 160		Multi · dockYesYear-round 24 h"KY 259 N of Brownsville; Hwy 728 E; follow signs to ramp". Parking 51+, restrooms and picnic year-round, accessible restrooms and parking. The Corps' Arnold Van Meter / Site One ramp (reasoning: same site, at the dam).
Brier Creek Ramp · state park
asid 158		Multi · dockNoYear-round 24 h"KY 259 N of Brownsville; KY 728 E; Hwy 1827 N; follow signs to ramp in Nolin River Lake State Park". Parking 51+, restrooms, picnic, camping and lodging year-round, retail limited hours; shoreline seasonal.
Tailwater · below the dam
asid 157		Single · no dockNoYear-round 24 h"KY 259 N of Brownsville; right on KY 728; follow signs to tailwater area". Restrooms seasonal, picnic year-round; NPS: restrooms, picnic tables, playground. Its own water (KDFWR wid 80); closure note — status pending.
Limits — three special rules, then statewide
SpeciesSizeDaily creel
Black and white crappie10 in minimumstatewide creel
Largemouth and smallmouth15 in minimum6 per angler
Walleye14 in minimum6 per angler
Everything else is statewide — white bass, spotted bass, hybrid striped bass, catfish, bluegill. Tailwater (KDFWR wid 80): brown and rainbow trout, statewide. Attractors: KDFWR GPX and map, no count stated. KDFWR 2026 forecast: not quoted — the entry was unreadable at build; status pending. Camping: Nolin Lake State Park, 2998 Briar Creek Rd, (270) 286-4240 — 32 electric, 32 tent, 1 group site, "Open year round", reservations 31 Mar–31 Oct. Marina: none on this road. Corps office: 2150 Nolin Dam Road, (270) 286-4511, M–Th 6:30–4, Fri 6:30–3 Central.
Live level: USGS 03310900, parameter 62614 (NGVD29) · pools 515.0 / 492.0, spillway 560, 1963 minimum 480 · April 2025: 533.8 ft on 5 Apr, "still rising", "top five" not a record; final crest and record pool status pending · Corps office (270) 286-4511, hours in Central time · tailwater USGS 03311000, live status pending.
Sources: USACE LRD project and recreation pages, Louisville District lake page and Fill and Drawdown, LRD release 4146981 / DVIDS 494660, LRD 4397712, Corps Lakes Gateway; KDFWR records 75 and 80, nine access-site records, WMA 31, attractor index; USGS 03310900, 03311000; Recreation.gov 233488, 233556, 10228626; Ky State Parks reservation system.
Conditions change. Verify pool, access and regulations before you travel. Revised September 2026.
QR code: https://limestonedrift.com/waterways/nolin-river-lake/#ld-alertslimestonedrift.comAlerts and the water page
Water alerts. We email when the pool actually moves. limestonedrift.com/alerts/?w=nolin-river-lake