Groundwater Resources of Garrard County, Kentucky

Topography

Discussion from McGrain and Currens (1978)

Garrard County, situated in central Kentucky, includes parts of the Inner Bluegrass, Outer Bluegrass, and Knobs (Highland Rim) physiographic regions. The county is a dissected upland with a gently rolling to hilly topography. The topography becomes more rugged near the deep valleys of the Kentucky River, which marks the northern boundary, and the Dix River, which forms the northwestern boundary. A nearly flat, slightly karstic, upland plain, at 900 to 1,000 feet, occupies part of northwestern Garrard County between U.S. 27 and Harrington Lake (Dix River). Elsewhere, except locally in the vicinity of Lancaster, flat areas are rare. Local reliefs along the Kentucky River exceed 300 feet. Local reliefs along Harrington Lake are generally between 150 and 200 feet.

The Muldraugh Escarpment (Highland Rim) is a striking topographic feature of the southeastern part of the county. The crest of the escarpment rises 300 to 400 feet above the area to the north and contains the highest elevations in the county. Ridgetop elevations in excess of 1,300 feet are common. The highest elevation in the county is 1,400 feet, on a ridge near the divide between Paint Lick Creek and the Dix River, about 6 miles south of the community of Paint Lick.

The lowest elevation is 514 feet, the normal pool level of the Kentucky River where it leaves the county. The spillway elevation of Dix Dam at Harrington Lake is 750 feet.

The elevation of Lancaster, at the courthouse, is 1,032 feet. Other elevations include Bryantsville, 953 feet; Burdette Knob, a prominent landmark 2 miles south of Bryantsville, 1,100 feet; and Paint Lick, 810 feet.

The 7.5-minute topographic quadrangle maps that cover Garrard County are shown, by name and by index code (Kentucky Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Cabinet) on the index map.

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