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Project Objectives:
1. Seek and establish partnerships between governmental agencies and private users.
2. Utilize these partnerships to accomplish the goals of the Large Scale Habitat Project.
3. Obtain media contacts in the area to publicize the project.
4. Complete large scale habitat projects on several portions of Barren River Lake
5. Evaluate effectiveness of structures

If awarded, funding from the Friends of Reservoirs will be used to purchase rock to construct Pennsylvania Spider Hump structures. Structures will be placed at 10 to 15 feet deep at summer pool on gently sloping points of Barren River Lake. Approximately 25 individual structures will be placed on 5 main lake points across 2 locations.

In 2018, the Barren River Lake Fisheries Habitat Committee was formed to address habitat needs in the lower lake. The committee consisted of state agencies, federal agencies, fishing clubs, fishing guides, and nonprofit groups. KDFWR believed it was crucial to form this partnership to effectively and efficiently complete a large scale habitat project. In addition, fishing guides and fishing clubs are economically important to this area and would directly benefit from the large scale project. The committee discussed project locations, timing, logistics, available staff, and material types. Seven areas ranging from 100 to 200 acres have been selected by the Barren River Lake Fish Habitat Committee to be enhanced with habitat structures. Habitat structures to be utilized will be directly influence by material donations. However, based on past projects it will likely include large cedar trees, recycled Christmas trees, wooden pallets, stake beds, rock, Mossback Fish Habitat, and recycled wooden cable spools. The areas were selected based on public input and the ability to efficiently transport and place the habitat structures. These areas include Barren River Lake State Park, Peter Creek, Peninsula/Baileys Point, Finney, the Narrows, Skaggs Creek, and Beaver Creek. Sites in Peter Creek were completed in June and July 2019. The Committee established guidelines for placing habitat at depths between 8 and 20 feet at summer pool. The 8 foot guidelines are used to ensure the safety of recreation users in the lake and the 20 foot guideline represented the traditional summer thermocline. If awarded, funding from the Friends of Reservoirs will be used to purchase rock to construct Pennsylvania Spider Hump structures. Structures will be placed at 10 to 15 feet deep at summer pool on gently sloping points of Barren River Lake. Approximately 25 individual structures will be placed on 5 main lake points across 2 locations.

Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources has been organizing public meetings and planning project logistics since 2018. The Peter Creek site was completed for the project during June and July 2019. Project planning, habitat staging, and habitat placement for the proposed project will be ongoing through 2021. Habitat material is typically stockpiled during the spring and fall and deployed in summer and winter months.

Black bass (47%) and crappie (33%) are the most sought after fish in Barren River Lake followed by catfish and hybrid striped bass. Barren River Lake continues to be a popular bass tournament lake. Based on Kentucky’s 2018 Bass Tournament Report, Barren River Lake ranks in the top 10 lakes for percent of successful teams, average number of keeper bass caught per boat, average 1st place weight, and average total weight per boat. Most anglers are aware of the habitat improvement efforts on Barren River Lake. Of those, 60% of the anglers fish the habitat sites and the majority believe that habitat placement improves their catch rates.

Public meetings will be held quarterly to inform the public on the details of the project and receive input on habitat needs for Barren River Lake. The project will be advertised in Kentucky Afield (Magazine and TV Show), KDFWR Newsletter, KDFWR South Western District Twitter and Facebook Pages. Habitat structure locations and structure type will be made available to the public through the department website. The website utilizes the Google Maps interface and will allow the user to obtain gps coordinates and structure type from the project.