Don’t count on getting to use a beach at area lakes this Memorial Day weekend.

In fact, use on the Fourth of July is even questionable for some.

“But we want people to know that the lake is open,” said Carlos Lopez, acting manager for the Army Corps of Engineers park at Barren River Lake.

The traditional start of summer will have to happen sans sand in southcentral Kentucky because of the heavy rains that inundated the state May 1 and 2.

The exception to that is at Lake Malone, a relatively small lake compared to Barren River, Nolin River and Rough River recreation areas.

“We have no issues due to high water and the lake was just tested (for bacteria and water quality) and everything is fine,” said Paula Sherman, state park manager at Lake Malone.

Sherman said the heavy rains really didn’t leave their mark at Malone where the campsites with utilities are full for the weekend.

But it’s a different story at Barren River Lake, where both Army Corps of Engineers and state parks facilities continue to be impacted by the heavy rain.

Lopez said the lake is still 22.5 feet above summer pool – the normal lake level during summer months. “And it’s coming down very slowly,” Lopez said. “We are releasing what water we can.”

Lopez said the lake crested May 8 at 578.11 feet and has come down about 3.5 feet since then.

“People need to realize a couple of things when they wonder why the fall might be slower than they expect,” Lopez said. “They need to consider how much water is coming into the lake. Even though there hasn’t been a great deal of rain (since the first weekend in May), there is still a lot of runoff coming into the lake.”

There is 940 square miles of drainage area above the dam.

In the immediate area, the Kentucky Mesonet – a nearly statewide weather station system developed by the Kentucky Climate Center at Western Kentucky University – measured 11.53 inches of rain in Allen County and 9.63 inches in Barren County for the month of May. The corps counted 8.75 inches of rain for the May 1 and 2 event at the dam.

Also to be considered is that the higher the lake is, the more surface it covers, so the longer it takes to fall, Lopez said.

“It’s going to be a long time before we see beaches,” he said. “A very rough estimate is that we won’t get close to summer pool until the middle of July and that’s barring any additional appreciable rainfall.”

Some corps facilities on Barren River Lake will be operational this weekend, including boat ramps at Bailey’s Point, The Narrows and Walnut Creek. A couple more may open today, Lopez said.

The campground at Beaver Creek is open because it is below the dam and Bailey’s Point grounds are partially open. But both areas are full for the weekend, barring cancellations.

At Barren River Lake State Resort Park, manager Lisa Davis said it could be the end of July or into August before the beach there returns. But that won’t stop other summer activities from occurring.

Davis said some lodging is still available because of some cancellations and the campground is open with some improvements, including deck areas and sewer service. There will be programming throughout the weekend at various spots in the park.

The state boat ramp, however, won’t be open.

“The water is so high and there still is a lot of debris under the surface that you can’t see,” Davis said.

But the state marina will be open where boats are available for rental.

Davis expects the last of the golf course holes that were underwater should re-open today or Saturday. But she’s not sure what they will find in the beach area when that water finally recedes.

Receding water at Nolin Lake left behind lots of mud on the beach.

“We will probably make the call today about whether or not we can open,” said state park manager Tammie Honeycutt. “But we are still about 5 feet above summer pool.”

Honeycutt said she still has a few primitive campsites available for the weekend.

To check if the Nolin beach is open for the weekend, call (270) 286-4240.

In nearby Grayson County, state park manager Chuck Tempfer expects it will be June 17 before Rough River Lake reaches summer pool and beaches are open. Before then, people can use the marina, but debris will slow things down at the boat ramps. The resort’s pool will open as scheduled and the campgrounds are open.

Lopez urges boaters who do go out on any of the lakes that experienced flooding to use caution.

“There is still a lot of debris floating in the lake,” he said. “And some of it you might not see on the surface.”