Summary
Total streamflow across the
Kentucky River
was last observed at
20,863
cfs, and is expected to yield approximately
41,381
acre-ft of water today; about 15%
of normal.
River levels are low and may signify a drought.
Average streamflow for this time of year is
137,932 cfs,
with recent peaks last observed
on
2025-02-18 when daily discharge volume was observed at
946,100 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the
Kentucky River At Lock 7 At Highbridge
reporting a streamflow rate of 4,170 cfs.
However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the
Kentucky River At Lock 8 Near Camp Nelson
with a gauge stage of 12.87 ft.
This river is monitored from 12 different streamgauging stations along the Kentucky River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 630 ft, the
Kentucky River At Lock 14 At Heidelberg.
River Details
| Last Updated | 2026-01-01 |
| Discharge Volume | 41,381 ACRE-FT |
| Streamflow |
20,863.0 cfs
-4078.0 cfs (-16.35%) |
| Percent of Normal | 15.13% |
| Maximum |
946,100.0 cfs
2025-02-18 |
| Seasonal Avg | 137,932 cfs |
River Streamflow Levels
| Streamgauge | Streamflow | Gauge Stage | 24hr Change (%) | % Normal | Minimum (cfs) | Maximum (cfs) | Air Temp | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Kentucky River At Lock 14 At Heidelberg
USGS 03282000 |
983 cfs | 9.84 ft | 3.36 | |||||
|
Kentucky River At Lock 10 Near Winchester
USGS 03284000 |
1480 cfs | 10.83 ft | -8.07 | |||||
|
Kentucky River At Lock 11 Near College Hill
USGS 03282290 |
1100 cfs | 11.66 ft | -14.73 | |||||
|
Kentucky River At Lock 12 Near Irvine
USGS 03282120 |
0 cfs | 9.8 ft | None | |||||
|
Kentucky River At Lock 9 At Valley View
USGS 03284230 |
1700 cfs | 11.99 ft | -8.6 | |||||
|
Kentucky River At Lock 8 Near Camp Nelson
USGS 03284500 |
1890 cfs | 12.87 ft | -8.7 | |||||
|
Kentucky River At Lock 6 Near Salvisa
USGS 03287000 |
2340 cfs | 10.96 ft | -13.97 | |||||
|
Kentucky River At Lock 7 At Highbridge
USGS 03286500 |
4170 cfs | 10.17 ft | 6.38 | |||||
|
Kentucky River At Lock 5 Near Tyrone
USGS 03287250 |
2430 cfs | 10.1 ft | -16.78 | |||||
|
Kentucky River At Lock 4 At Frankfort
USGS 03287500 |
2590 cfs | 7.82 ft | -19.81 | |||||
|
Kentucky River At Lock 3 At Gest
USGS 03290080 |
3150 cfs | 8.91 ft | -22.98 | |||||
|
Kentucky River At Lock 2 At Lockport
USGS 03290500 |
3200 cfs | 9.84 ft | -23.81 |
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile
The Kentucky River is a tributary of the Ohio River, 260 miles (418 km) long, in the U.S. Commonwealth of Kentucky. The river and its tributaries drain much of the central region of the state, with its upper course passing through the coal-mining regions of the Cumberland Mountains, and its lower course passing through the Bluegrass region in the north central part of the state. Its watershed encompasses about 7,000 square miles (18,000 km2). It supplies drinking water to about one-sixth of the population of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
The river is no longer navigable above Lock 4 at Frankfort. Concrete bulkheads have been poured behind the upper lock gates of Locks 5-14 to strengthen the weakest link in the dam structures. All 14 dams are now under the management of the state-run Kentucky River Authority. The primary importance of the locks today is to maintain a pool that allows the city of Lexington to draw its drinking water from the river. Despite the fact that the Lexington area receives well over 40 inches (1,000 mm) of precipitation annually, the limestone, karst geology of that area means that surprisingly little natural surface water is found in the region.
Winchester, Beattyville, Irvine, Richmond, Lancaster, Nicholasville, Harrodsburg, Wilmore, Versailles, Lawrenceburg, and Frankfort also draw water from the river for their municipal water supplies. It is estimated that over 700,000 people depend on the river for water.