The creation of Nolin, Rough, Barren, and Green River Lakes were done primarily for flood control for the Lower Green. In the middle of the last century the Green River Valley hoped to attract major industry up and down the Green because of our access to coal but many passed due to the lack of flood control on the upper tribs of Green, Voila, we got the lakes mentioned above. Flooding downstream is the primary issue for not letting out the lakes so quickly.