Dewey Lake, US Army Corps of Engineers

Dewey Lake, US Army Corps of Engineers This page is administered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Huntington District Public Affairs Office: https://www.usace.army.mil/SocialMedia/

Dewey Lake is part of the integrated flood reduction system operated by the Corp of Engineers for the entire Ohio River Basin. When the lakes in this system are operated as a vast storage system, flood crests along the Ohio can be significantly reduced. Construction of Dewey Dam began in 1946 and was completed in 1949. The dam is rolled earth-fill with an uncontrolled saddle spillway. The cost of

the dam was $6,051,400. The length of the lake is 18.5 miles upstream from the dam. The watershed is 207 square miles. In the intake structure, there are three 5' x 10' caterpillar control gates. The outflow is an 11 foot diameter horseshoe tunnel. Summer Pool Elevation is 650.0 m.s.l. which is 1,100 acres. Winter Pool Elevation is 645.0 m.s.l. The auxiliary spillway is located at Hager Gap at Terry's boat launch ramp. Construction began in 2000 and was completed in 2002. Approximately 150,000 cubic yards of rock was removed from the site. This spillway will allow a maximum of 178,000 cubic feet of water per second to flow through it. The highest flood on record was 3 March 1955 (682.32 m.s.l) The most recent flood was 11 May 2009 (668.66 m.s.l.). During this flood event (11 May 2009) Dewey Lake prevented more than 2 million dollars in flood damages and overall has prevented more than 94 million dollars since construction.

02/25/2026

Dewey Lake Additional Drawdown to Facilitate Marina Activities (update):

Dewey Lake will be drawn down to the additional 5 feet under normal winter pool to 640 feet until April 1st to accomodate ongoing efforts to rehabilitate the State Park marina (normal winter pool is 645 feet). The additional draw down is due to dredging activites at the new marina.

Also, in addition to Terry, Stratton and the Marina ramps, Goble Branch ramp will not be accessible due to ongoing repairs by Kentucky Fish and Wildlife.

The status of the drawdown and availability of boat ramps will be updated on the Dewey Lake page. For more information, please contact the Dewey Lake Office at 606-886-6709 or the Public Affairs Office at 304-399-5353.

Have you ever seen this strange-looking, minty-green substance on a tree before? 🌳Well, if you have ever wondered what i...
02/20/2026

Have you ever seen this strange-looking, minty-green substance on a tree before? 🌳

Well, if you have ever wondered what it is called, it’s lichen. It’s a remarkable thing, truly, because it’s not just a single organism, but is made from a symbiotic partnership between fungi, algae, and sometimes cyanobacteria. 🌱🦠

You may be wondering, is this harmful to the tree? Nope, they are considered non-parasitic. Lichen only uses the bark of the tree as a structure to cling to and obtains their nutrients from the air and the rain. The presence of lichen on trees can indicate good air quality, as they are sensitive to pollutants. 🌧️

02/13/2026

Dewey Lake Additional Drawdown to Facilitate Marina Activities:

HUNTINGTON, WV – The Huntington District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announces that Dewey Lake will be drawn down an additional 5 ft. under normal winter pool to 640 ft. to accommodate the ongoing efforts to rehabilitate the State Park Marina. Currently, the water level is at normal winter pool 645 ft. The drawdown will begin on February 13, 2026, to facilitate the activities at the Marina.

Terry’s, Stratton, and the Marina ramps will not be accessible during this time. Goble Branch ramp will still be accessible. The drawdown will last until Mar. 10, 2026. We expect to return to winter pool around mid- to late March. The status of the drawdown and availability of boat ramps will be updated on the Dewey Lake page.

For more information, please contact the Dewey Lake Office at 606-886-6709 or the Public Affairs Office at 304-399-5353.

Ready for green grass and sunshine? We sure are! 🌱 But looking back, the snow really did turn Dewey into a postcard for ...
02/11/2026

Ready for green grass and sunshine? We sure are! 🌱 But looking back, the snow really did turn Dewey into a postcard for a while.

Winter’s the perfect time to level up your boating skills with an online safety course! Find the course that’s right for...
01/30/2026

Winter’s the perfect time to level up your boating skills with an online safety course! Find the course that’s right for you and get ready to be better prepared next time you hit the water—whether you’re boating, fishing, or paddling. Check out available courses here:
http://uscgboating.org/recreational-boaters/boating-safety-courses.php

Cold weather can lead to ice on bodies of water, but remember—ice is never completely safe. It's especially risky in are...
01/12/2026

Cold weather can lead to ice on bodies of water, but remember—ice is never completely safe. It's especially risky in areas with fluctuating water levels or currents. As a general rule, new, clear ice should be at least 4 inches thick before walking or fishing on it. Always check the ice thickness before heading out. Stay safe!

NOTICE: Between 4:30am and 5am on Monday, January 5, 2026, the white truck shown in the video and picture below (long w...
01/06/2026

NOTICE: Between 4:30am and 5am on Monday, January 5, 2026, the white truck shown in the video and picture below (long wheel base, full-size bed and black tailgate, possibly an F150), pulled into the downstream recreation area near Shelter 3 and stole a toddler/child excavator digging toy from the playground. This toy is also pictured below for reference. The video is in the first comment of this post. If you have any information as to the identity of the truck or the persons responsible for this theft, please direct message our page or call the office at 606-886-6709. We appreciate any help in the resolution of this matter.

01/05/2026

We would like to remind everyone that the gate to the Downstream Recreation Area at Dewey Dam is closed to vehicles for the season (January through the end of February), and will re-open on March 1, 2026. The area will accessible by foot traffic only. There is available parking at several locations near the dam.

Be like Bobber and only tackle water with a life vest on!🌊
09/26/2025

Be like Bobber and only tackle water with a life vest on!🌊

As summer is coming to a close, we are taking in and cherishing every last warm sunset.🌅 ✨
09/20/2025

As summer is coming to a close, we are taking in and cherishing every last warm sunset.🌅 ✨

Did you know….?Mushrooms are more closely related to animals than plants. 🍄🍄‍🟫Mushrooms are a very important component t...
09/13/2025

Did you know….?

Mushrooms are more closely related to animals than plants. 🍄🍄‍🟫

Mushrooms are a very important component to our ecosystem because they help with decomposing and recycling nutrients to provide us with heathy soil. ✨

Trees communicate with each other using an underground system consisting of tree roots and mycelia, which is fine hair-like threads. These two things intertwine with each other and allow trees to give signals one another. The signals can be for warning neighboring trees about being attacked by insects such as aphids or caterpillars. The trees release chemical signals through the “fungal network” and help other trees prepare for the threats. ☎️🆘🚨

There are lots of different types of mushrooms and here are some that we found on one of the trails here at Dewey.

• Jack-o’-lantern mushrooms, omphalotus illudens 🎃
These are super cool because they are bright orange and experience bioluminescence! Yep, these glow in the dark. However, be aware that these mushrooms are not edible and can cause some serious gastrointestinal issues if eaten, so just admire the beauty that they offer.

• Dryad’s Saddle mushrooms, Cerioporus squamosus 🤠
These mushrooms can grow to large sizes and are edible, but remember unless you are 1,000% certain then you should never eat a mushroom from out in the wild.

• Orange Mycena mushrooms, Mycena leaiana 🧡
These mushroom are very vibrant orange in color and grow in dense clusters. These mushrooms are not recommended for consumption.

• Fairy Inkcap Mushrooms, Coprinellus disseminatus 🧚‍♀️💜
These mushrooms are small, grow in dense clusters, and on occasion they will have a purple hue which makes them resemble similar to something out of a fairytale.

• Bay Polypore mushrooms, Picipes badius 🍄‍🟫
These mushrooms are tough and persist through all winter, making them a very common mushroom to find when you’re out and about. Often, they are dried and used for decoration. Due to their tough texture they are not recommended for consumption.

*Click on the photos to see the identification of each.

While having fun in the sun, play it safe by wearing a life jacket and swimming and boating with a buddy. Assign someone...
09/05/2025

While having fun in the sun, play it safe by wearing a life jacket and swimming and boating with a buddy. Assign someone as a water watcher to watch children constantly while in, on, or near the water. Make sure the watcher knows drowning is silent and can happen in seconds.

Please Wear It 💦

Address

9278 Lake Road
Van Lear, KY
41265

Opening Hours

Monday 7:30am - 4pm
Tuesday 7:30am - 4pm
Wednesday 7:30am - 4pm
Thursday 7:30am - 4pm
Friday 7:30am - 4pm

Telephone

+16068866709

Website

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