Topography
 

Discussion from McGrain and Currens (1978)

Metcalfe County is in the Mississippian Plateaus Region of south-central Kentucky. The northwestern part of the county contains a karst topography with abundant sinkholes, but most of Metcalfe County is a well-dissected, rolling to hilly, upland plateau. The sinkhole plain has elevations between 750 and 800 feet.

The highest elevations are in the southern and southeastern parts of the county. The highest elevations recorded, 1,120 feet, are found on a ridge 1.5 miles east of Summer Shade, on Lone Star Ridge 0.5 mile southeast of Lone Star School, and on a ridge 1.5 miles southwest of Moore Spring (Subtle post office). Dividing Ridge has elevations in excess of 1,000 feet. The terminus of this ridge at the junction of Metcalfe, Cumberland, and Adair Counties is at an elevation of 1,100 feet. These high elevations are along or near the divide separating the Barren River and Green River drainage basins to the north and west from the Cumberland River drainage basin on the southeast. Pilot Knob, on the Metcalfe-Green County line 2 miles east of Center, has an elevation of 1,031 feet.

The lowest elevation, 560 feet, is on the Little Barren River where it leaves the northern part of the county.

Edmonton, the county seat, is 843 feet. Other elevations include Center, 806 feet; Knob Lick, 755 feet; Randolph, 945 feet; Sulphur Well, 612 feet; and Summer Shade, 877 feet.

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

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