Topography
 

Discussion from McGrain and Currens (1978)

Allen County is located in the Mississippian Plateaus area of south-central Kentucky. It is at the southern boundary of the state, about midway between the eastern and western extremities. The topography is undulating to rough, reflecting a moderately to deeply dissected plateau. Karst features characterize the topography in the northwestern part of the county.

One of the highest elevations in the county is a point about 4 1/2 miles southeast of Scottsville, where a hill reaches an elevation of approximately 966 feet. A television relay tower has been con-structed there. A hill with a comparable elevation is 0.6 mile south-southwest of Mt. Union Church near the Kentucky-Tennessee state line. The lowest elevation is about 445 feet, at the point where Barren River leaves the county.

The uplands appear generally uniform in height, but elevations are greater in the southern part of the county. Ridges, many of which are flat topped, generally range in elevation from 640 to 880 feet, and the valley flats range from 470 to 600 feet. The maximum local relief is 180 feet along the bluffs of the entrenched Barren River. Local reliefs of 100 to 140 feet along principal drainage lines are more common.

The elevation of Scottsville, at the courthouse, is 760 feet; Adolphus, 650 feet; Allen Springs, 638 feet; Holland, 803 feet; Petroleum, 614 feet; and normal pool level of Barren River Lake, 552 feet.

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

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