Rivers in Kentucky
Barren River at Bowling Green
Below low-water threshold
3.29ftStage
Observed Thu, Sep 24, 4:45 AM CDT
- Flood stage
- 28.00 ft
- Forecast crest
- 3.90 ftThu, Sep 24, 7:00 AM CDT
- Record crest
- 52.20 ft1913
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 45.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 32.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 28.00 ft |
| Action | 26.00 ft |
- 61.00 ftSurface of US 68 bridge floods.
- 53.00 ftLarge sections of the city flood. Travel is impossible in some areas.
- 48.00 ftWater treatment plant is shut down.
- 43.00 ftApproaches to KY 185 bridge flood.
- 36.00 ftSeveral homes along river begin to flood.
- 34.00 ftMost of Beech Bend Park floods.
- 30.00 ftBoat Landing Road is impassable.
- 23.00 ftParks begin to flood. Most of Thomas Landing and Weldon Peete Park flood.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | Under 5% |
| Moderate flooding | Under 5% |
| Major flooding | Under 5% |
The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued September 22, 2026.
Crest history
82 crests on NOAA’s list since 1913.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | January 8, 1913 | 52.20 ft |
| 2 | March 1, 1962 | 49.55 ft |
| 3 | January 1, 1937 | 46.00 ft |
| 4 | March 24, 1952 | 44.63 ft |
| 5 | May 3, 2010 | 43.69 ft |
| 6 | March 13, 1975 | 42.75 ft |
| 7 | January 30, 1957 | 42.07 ft |
| 8 | June 24, 1969 | 41.67 ft |
| 9 | March 23, 1955 | 40.46 ft |
| 10 | February 15, 1948 | 39.82 ft |
| 11 | January 7, 1950 | 39.65 ft |
| 12 | December 9, 1978 | 39.47 ft |
| 13 | January 2, 1945 | 39.40 ft |
| 14 | February 17, 2025 | 39.38 ft |
| 15 | May 8, 1984 | 37.15 ft |
| 16 | May 20, 1983 | 37.04 ft |
| 17 | February 2, 1950 | 36.80 ft |
| 18 | February 20, 1956 | 36.73 ft |
| 19 | January 10, 1946 | 36.30 ft |
| 20 | December 14, 1949 | 35.95 ft |
| 21 | April 4, 2025 | 35.76 ft |
| 22 | February 1, 1956 | 35.35 ft |
| 23 | June 18, 1949 | 35.10 ft |
| 24 | March 3, 1997 | 34.90 ft |
| 25 | March 21, 1943 | 34.70 ft |
Most recent crests
- April 4, 2025: 35.76 ft
- February 17, 2025: 39.38 ft
- March 2, 2021: 33.31 ft
- February 25, 2019: 30.85 ft
- April 29, 2013: 28.13 ft
- May 3, 2010: 43.69 ft
- January 29, 2009: 30.38 ft
- April 5, 2008: 29.38 ft
- February 17, 2003: 28.61 ft
- January 24, 1999: 30.43 ft
Nearby
Upstream, downstream and the gauges around this one.
What this means
Forecasts by the Ohio River Forecast Center. Forecasts are issued routinely year-round. River forecasts for this location take into account past precipitation and the precipitation amounts expected approximately 48 hours into the future from the forecast issuance time.
Sources
Stage, flood stages, impacts and crest history from NOAA’s National Water Prediction Service. Streamflow and the daily record from the U.S. Geological Survey.