Kentucky River River Levels
Last Updated: November 17, 2025
The Kentucky River is a tributary of the Ohio River, covering a total length of 259 miles.
Summary
Total streamflow across the
Kentucky River
was last observed at
15,980
cfs, and is expected to yield approximately
31,696
acre-ft of water today; about 38%
of normal.
River levels are low and may signify a drought.
Average streamflow for this time of year is
42,335 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 3,710 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 12.55 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 | 2025-11-17 |
| Discharge Volume | 31,696 ACRE-FT |
| Streamflow |
15,980.0 cfs
-560.0 cfs (-3.39%) |
| Percent of Normal | 37.75% |
| Maximum |
946,100.0 cfs
2025-02-18 |
| Seasonal Avg | 42,335 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 |
1150 cfs | 9.99 ft | 9.91 | |||||
|
Kentucky River At Lock 10 Near Winchester
USGS 03284000 |
1330 cfs | 10.71 ft | -4.58 | |||||
|
Kentucky River At Lock 11 Near College Hill
USGS 03282290 |
1630 cfs | 12.12 ft | -1.33 | |||||
|
Kentucky River At Lock 12 Near Irvine
USGS 03282120 |
0 cfs | 9.83 ft | None | |||||
|
Kentucky River At Lock 9 At Valley View
USGS 03284230 |
1420 cfs | 11.78 ft | -6.62 | |||||
|
Kentucky River At Lock 8 Near Camp Nelson
USGS 03284500 |
1450 cfs | 12.55 ft | -7.45 | |||||
|
Kentucky River At Lock 6 Near Salvisa
USGS 03287000 |
1580 cfs | 10.61 ft | -11.46 | |||||
|
Kentucky River At Lock 7 At Highbridge
USGS 03286500 |
3710 cfs | 9.47 ft | -29.33 | |||||
|
Kentucky River At Lock 5 Near Tyrone
USGS 03287250 |
1670 cfs | 9.81 ft | -12.2 | |||||
|
Kentucky River At Lock 4 At Frankfort
USGS 03287500 |
1770 cfs | 7.52 ft | -13.82 | |||||
|
Kentucky River At Lock 3 At Gest
USGS 03290080 |
1990 cfs | 8.23 ft | -13.65 | |||||
|
Kentucky River At Lock 2 At Lockport
USGS 03290500 |
1990 cfs | 9.26 ft | -12.15 |
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.