West Fork Drakes Reservoir
Simpson County, KentuckyView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 35 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
West Fork Drakes Reservoir in Simpson County, Kentucky has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Phosphorus: 33 µg/L.
- Max depth
- ~35 ft est.
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 33 µg/L
- Public access
- Yes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near West Fork Drakes Reservoir
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near West Fork Drakes Reservoir in Simpson County, Kentucky — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near West Fork Drakes Reservoir
Prices for Sep 11–13, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Kentucky’s top lakes →
Watch West Fork Drakes Reservoir’s letter
Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.
Or email
West Fork Drakes Reservoir is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Simpson County, Kentucky with an estimated average depth of about 35 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 1 sampling years through 2019. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, KY DOW, last sampled 2019-09-12. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What West Fork Drakes Reservoir is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. West Fork Drakes Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 33 µg/L. TSI 55. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 33 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 55 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~35 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~12 ft est. |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Kentucky has not published bathymetry for West Fork Drakes Reservoir.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Recreation & Access
- FranklinPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing West Fork Drakes Reservoir
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
West Fork Drakes Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Franklin Dam (completed 1975), built primarily for water supply on the West Fork Drakes Creek; gravity-type dam, 15 ft tall and 650 ft long.
- Max storage
- 158 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 108 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- CITY OF FRANKLIN
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID KY00321 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.42 km)
EPA Impairment Status
West Fork Drakes Reservoir is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit KY-2696 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Simpson County
Nearby Lakes in Simpson County
Frequently asked questions about West Fork Drakes Reservoir
Where is West Fork Drakes Reservoir?
- West Fork Drakes Reservoir is a lake in Simpson County, Kentucky. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for West Fork Drakes Reservoir?
- West Fork Drakes Reservoir in Simpson County, Kentucky has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Phosphorus: 33 µg/L.
Is West Fork Drakes Reservoir safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. West Fork Drakes Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is West Fork Drakes Reservoir?
- No published bathymetric survey covers West Fork Drakes Reservoir, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 35 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Are there boat ramps on West Fork Drakes Reservoir?
- West Fork Drakes Reservoir has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Franklin. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore West Fork Drakes Reservoir across LakeQuality
More Kentucky Lake Rankings
Other Grade C Lakes in Kentucky
Eutrophic Lakes in Kentucky
Where this data comes from
12 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2019. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- KY WQX
21KY_WQX12 samples · 2019
Analytical methods
- Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory