2025-12-20T00:00:00-07:00
...THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR IN AND IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE FOOTHILLS, BETWEEN 5500 AND 9000 FEET, FOR BOULDER AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES ON FRIDAY... Strong west winds, sustained 45-55 mph with gusts upwards of 85- 105 mph, are expected in the foothills of Larimer, Boulder and Jefferson Counties beginning early Friday morning. Relative humidity values are expected to drop into the low teens, possibly upper single digits. While Red Flag conditions, critical fire weather, are expected across a larger area in northern Colorado, the most extreme conditions are expected to be along Highway 93 from Jefferson County into Boulder County and along US-36 north of Boulder to the Larimer County line and westward. There will be a high potential for fast moving wildfires, should any new starts occur. Winds toward I-25 and eastward will be slower to develop, and also speeds will be considerably lighter. That said, gusts of 25- 40 mph are still expected to combine with very low humidity and cured grasses to support critical fire weather conditions. Such conditions may be a longer duration than usual, with potential for low humidity to extend well into the evening hours. * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 238, 240, 241, 242 and 243. * TIMING...From 10 AM this morning to midnight MST tonight. * WINDS...West 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 60 mph possible west of I-25, and gusts to 40 mph possible along and east of I- 25. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 12 percent. * IMPACTS...Conditions will be favorable for rapid fire spread. Avoid outdoor burning and any activity that may produce a spark and start a wildfire.
Summary
Total streamflow across the
Kentucky River
was last observed at
76,120
cfs, and is expected to yield approximately
150,982
acre-ft of water today; about 67%
of normal.
River levels are low and may signify a drought.
Average streamflow for this time of year is
113,794 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 2 At Lockport
reporting a streamflow rate of 17,900 cfs.
However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the
Kentucky River At Lock 3 At Gest
with a gauge stage of 15.58 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 | 2025-12-19 |
| Discharge Volume | 150,982 ACRE-FT |
| Streamflow |
76,120.0 cfs
+56090.0 cfs (+280.03%) |
| Percent of Normal | 66.89% |
| Maximum |
946,100.0 cfs
2025-02-18 |
| Seasonal Avg | 113,794 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 |
1250 cfs | 10.07 ft | 7.76 | |||||
|
Kentucky River At Lock 10 Near Winchester
USGS 03284000 |
3760 cfs | 12.21 ft | 123.81 | |||||
|
Kentucky River At Lock 11 Near College Hill
USGS 03282290 |
1840 cfs | 12.29 ft | 44.88 | |||||
|
Kentucky River At Lock 12 Near Irvine
USGS 03282120 |
0 cfs | 9.96 ft | None | |||||
|
Kentucky River At Lock 9 At Valley View
USGS 03284230 |
3550 cfs | 13.17 ft | 86.84 | |||||
|
Kentucky River At Lock 8 Near Camp Nelson
USGS 03284500 |
4200 cfs | 14.2 ft | 95.35 | |||||
|
Kentucky River At Lock 6 Near Salvisa
USGS 03287000 |
4180 cfs | 11.68 ft | 65.22 | |||||
|
Kentucky River At Lock 7 At Highbridge
USGS 03286500 |
5450 cfs | 10.82 ft | 19.78 | |||||
|
Kentucky River At Lock 5 Near Tyrone
USGS 03287250 |
7390 cfs | 11.51 ft | 187.55 | |||||
|
Kentucky River At Lock 4 At Frankfort
USGS 03287500 |
14000 cfs | 10.46 ft | 410.95 | |||||
|
Kentucky River At Lock 3 At Gest
USGS 03290080 |
12600 cfs | 15.58 ft | 290.09 | |||||
|
Kentucky River At Lock 2 At Lockport
USGS 03290500 |
17900 cfs | 14.77 ft | 454.18 |
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.