The Laurel River is a tributary of the Cumberland River in southeast

Kentucky Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...

in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. The river drains a rural region in the foothills of the

Appalachian Mountains The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, are a mountain range in eastern to northeastern North America. The term "Appalachian" refers to several different regions associated with the mountain range, and its surrounding terrain ...

, in parts of Whitley and Laurel Counties. The town of Corbin is located on the river about east of its mouth on the Cumberland, and near the confluence with a major tributary, the Little Laurel River. The river is impounded near its mouth by Laurel River Dam, which forms Laurel River Lake. Completed in 1974 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the dam and reservoir serve mainly for flood control, although some

hydroelectricity Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is Electricity generation, electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies 15% of the world's electricity, almost 4,210 TWh in 2023, which is more than all other Renewable energ ...

is also produced. The river was likely named for thick growth of laurel along its banks.

References

Rivers of Kentucky Tributaries of the Cumberland River Rivers of Whitley County, Kentucky Rivers of Laurel County, Kentucky {{Kentucky-river-stub

See also

References