Rivers in Kentucky
Kentucky River at Ford Lock
Below flood stage
9.52ftStage
Observed Thu, Sep 24, 5:30 AM EDT
- Flood stage
- 26.00 ft
- Forecast crest
- 10.20 ftFri, Sep 25, 2:00 PM EDT
- Record crest
- 40.15 ft1978
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 40.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 35.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 26.00 ft |
| Action | 24.00 ft |
- 30.00 ftKY highway 388 floods. Some homes are threatened. More sections of Fort Boonesborough State Park flood.
- 26.00 ftFlooding occurs in low lying portions of Fort Boonesborough State Park.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 7% |
| 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
45 crests on NOAA’s list since 1908.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | December 10, 1978 | 40.15 ft |
| 2 | March 3, 2021 | 38.05 ft |
| 3 | March 1, 1962 | 36.07 ft |
| 4 | March 28, 1913 | 35.10 ft |
| 5 | April 6, 2025 | 35.00 ft |
| 6 | February 5, 1939 | 34.80 ft |
| 7 | February 1, 1957 | 33.65 ft |
| 8 | February 16, 1948 | 33.60 ft |
| 9 | December 20, 1915 | 33.60 ft |
| 10 | May 10, 1984 | 33.48 ft |
| 11 | May 3, 2010 | 32.47 ft |
| 12 | February 19, 2003 | 32.41 ft |
| 13 | April 16, 1972 | 32.24 ft |
| 14 | March 25, 1929 | 32.00 ft |
| 15 | January 30, 1918 | 31.70 ft |
| 16 | January 25, 1920 | 31.70 ft |
| 17 | February 19, 2025 | 31.63 ft |
| 18 | January 23, 1937 | 30.60 ft |
| 19 | January 13, 1974 | 30.40 ft |
| 20 | March 14, 1935 | 30.30 ft |
| 21 | March 16, 1975 | 30.30 ft |
| 22 | February 3, 1950 | 30.05 ft |
| 23 | March 24, 1952 | 29.90 ft |
| 24 | March 3, 1955 | 29.90 ft |
| 25 | January 11, 1946 | 28.90 ft |
Most recent crests
- April 6, 2025: 35.00 ft
- February 19, 2025: 31.63 ft
- March 3, 2021: 38.05 ft
- February 26, 2019: 26.89 ft
- May 3, 2010: 32.47 ft
- June 2, 2004: 26.29 ft
- February 19, 2003: 32.41 ft
- March 21, 2002: 28.08 ft
- March 6, 1997: 27.07 ft
- March 12, 1994: 26.28 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.