Rivers in Kentucky
Red River at Clay City
Below flood stage
2.54ftStage
Observed Tue, Sep 22, 3:15 AM EDT
- Flood stage
- 17.00 ft
- Forecast crest
- 2.60 ftTue, Sep 22, 8:00 AM EDT
- Record crest
- 26.75 ft1978
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 23.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 19.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 17.00 ft |
| Action | 13.00 ft |
- 26.75 ftFlooding will exceed the highest flood on record.
- 24.00 ftMany homes and some businesses are flooded.
- 23.00 ftMajor flooding begins. Some residences are inundated with many roads blocked.
- 19.00 ftModerate flooding begins. Several roads are impassable in and around Clay City. Some homes are flooded in low lying areas.
- 17.00 ftLow lying areas flood. Maple street near the Red River Ranch as well as Pompeii Road off of Highway 15 are impassable.
- 16.00 ftPompeii Road off of Highway 15 and Maple Street near the Red River Ranch are impassable.
- 15.00 ftMaple Street near the Red River Ranch is impassable.
- 14.00 ftMaple Street near the Red River Ranch is impassable.
- 13.00 ftWater begins inundating Maple Street near the Red River Ranch.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 16% |
| Moderate flooding | 12% |
| Major flooding | 9% |
The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued September 15, 2026.
Crest history
70 crests on NOAA’s list since 1932.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | December 9, 1978 | 26.75 ft |
| 2 | March 1, 2021 | 25.81 ft |
| 3 | June 1, 2004 | 24.08 ft |
| 4 | February 28, 1962 | 23.90 ft |
| 5 | May 3, 2010 | 23.36 ft |
| 6 | April 5, 2025 | 23.27 ft |
| 7 | February 17, 2003 | 23.16 ft |
| 8 | June 15, 1938 | 22.80 ft |
| 9 | July 6, 1939 | 22.30 ft |
| 10 | February 16, 1989 | 22.03 ft |
| 11 | March 23, 1952 | 22.01 ft |
| 12 | December 31, 1990 | 21.50 ft |
| 13 | February 17, 2025 | 21.31 ft |
| 14 | February 25, 2019 | 21.10 ft |
| 15 | April 4, 2015 | 20.68 ft |
| 16 | April 29, 1970 | 20.60 ft |
| 17 | January 27, 1978 | 20.60 ft |
| 18 | May 8, 1984 | 20.52 ft |
| 19 | January 30, 1932 | 20.40 ft |
| 20 | March 5, 2015 | 20.38 ft |
| 21 | February 1, 1950 | 20.28 ft |
| 22 | April 15, 2015 | 20.04 ft |
| 23 | September 18, 2004 | 20.03 ft |
| 24 | February 4, 1939 | 20.00 ft |
| 25 | May 20, 2020 | 19.93 ft |
Most recent crests
- April 5, 2025: 23.27 ft
- February 17, 2025: 21.31 ft
- March 1, 2021: 25.81 ft
- May 20, 2020: 19.93 ft
- February 25, 2019: 21.10 ft
- September 11, 2018: 17.62 ft
- July 16, 2015: 17.29 ft
- April 15, 2015: 20.04 ft
- April 4, 2015: 20.68 ft
- March 5, 2015: 20.38 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.
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.