Kentucky River at Lock 14 at Heidelberg water level

Name: Kentucky River at Lock 14 at Heidelberg water level (U.S. Geological Survey)
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
License: https://www.usgs.gov/information-policies-and-instructions/copyrights-and-credits

River gauge, Kentucky River, Kentucky, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

9.46ft Down 0.11 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 21, 2026, 08:55 AM EDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 607 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 9.20 ft by Monday, October 26 at 08:00 AM. Issued Wednesday, October 21 at 08:56 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The gauge at Kentucky River at Lock 14 at Heidelberg reads 9.46 ft, a normal level.

It is 10.54 ft below the flood stage of 20.00 ft.

The level is falling, down 0.11 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 9.20 ft by Monday, October 26 at 08:00 AM. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 9.46 ft and 10.43 ft.

Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 35.60 ftFebruary 4, 1939
Forecast peak: 9.40 ftWednesday, October 21 at 02:00 PM

About this gauge

Location: Lee County
Nearest town: Beattyville (5.9 km)
Elevation above sea level: 625 ft

Town from GeoNames (CC BY 4.0)

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 20.00 ft, still 10.54 ft away.

What happens at each level

35.60 ft: Flooding will exceed the highest flood on record.
20.00 ft: Low lying areas flood.
9.46 ft: Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: 23 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	35.60 ft	February 4, 1939
2	35.00 ft	January 30, 1957
3	34.40 ft	March 24, 1929
4	33.69 ft	March 2, 2021
5	32.60 ft	February 15, 1948
6	31.84 ft	February 2, 1951
7	31.76 ft	January 9, 1946
8	30.90 ft	May 8, 1984
9	30.00 ft	December 23, 1926
10	29.28 ft	February 28, 1962

About the Kentucky River

The Kentucky River is a tributary of the Ohio River in Kentucky, United States. The 260-mile (420 km) river and its tributaries drain much of eastern and central Kentucky, passing through the Eastern Coalfield, the Cumberland Mountains, and the Bluegrass region. Its watershed encompasses about 7,000 square miles (18,000 km2), and it supplies drinking water to about one-sixth of the population of the state.

Length: 259 mi
Catchment area: 6,950 mi²
Mean discharge: 10,065 ft³/s
Source: North Fork Kentucky River
Mouth: Ohio River

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

21 Wed 72° 39° – Wind 6 mph

22 Thu 71° 42° – Wind 6 mph

23 Fri 71° 43° – Wind 6 mph

24 Sat 74° 45° – Wind 4 mph

25 Sun 74° 47° – Wind 3 mph

26 Mon 73° 47° – Wind 4 mph

27 Tue 70° 51° – Wind 4 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:50 AM Sunset 06:51 PM Daylight 11 hr, 2 min Waxing gibbous 77%

Map

Other gauges on the Kentucky River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Kentucky River at Lock 13 near Willow ShoalsRiver gauge, Kentucky River	610 cfs	Normal	−138.0 cfs	4.9 mi
Kentucky River at Lock 12 near IrvineRiver gauge, Kentucky River	9.71 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	13 mi
Kentucky River at Lock 11 near College HillRiver gauge, Kentucky River	605 cfs	Normal	−120.0 cfs	24 mi
Kentucky River at Lock 10 near WinchesterRiver gauge, Kentucky River	10.10 ft	Normal	−0.22 ft	36 mi
Kentucky River at Lock 9 at Valley ViewRiver gauge, Kentucky River	764 cfs	Normal	−296.0 cfs	42 mi
Kentucky River at Lock 8 near Camp NelsonRiver gauge, Kentucky River	12.01 ft	Below flood stage	−0.28 ft	47 mi
Kentucky River at Lock 7 at HighbridgeRiver gauge, Kentucky River	9.38 ft	Below flood stage	+0.05 ft	56 mi
Kentucky River at Lock 6 near SalvisaRiver gauge, Kentucky River	1,070 cfs	Normal	−630.0 cfs	63 mi
Kentucky River at Lock 5 near TyroneRiver gauge, Kentucky River	1,090 cfs	Normal	−540.0 cfs	67 mi
Kentucky River at Lock 4 at FrankfortRiver gauge, Kentucky River	7.27 ft	Normal	−0.23 ft	75 mi
Kentucky River at Lock 3 at GestRiver gauge, Kentucky River	8.03 ft	Very low	−0.28 ft	85 mi
Kentucky River at Lock 2 at LockportRiver gauge, Kentucky River	9.13 ft	Below flood stage	−0.25 ft	89 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Sturgeon Creek at CressmontRiver gauge, Sturgeon Creek	3.3 cfs	Low	−0.7 cfs	4.3 mi
South Fork Kentucky River at BoonevilleRiver gauge, South Fork Kentucky River	3.43 ft	Below flood stage	−0.09 ft	7 mi
Middle Fork Kentucky River at TallegaRiver gauge, Middle Fork Kentucky River	111 cfs	Normal	−44.0 cfs	10 mi
North Fork Kentucky River at JacksonRiver gauge, North Fork Kentucky River	1.70 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	21 mi
Buckhorn Lake at BuckhornLake, Buckhorn Lake	782.06 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	22 mi
Middle Fork Kentucky River at Hwy28 near BuckhornRiver gauge, Middle Fork Kentucky River	3.79 ft	Low	−0.17 ft	23 mi
Red River at Clay CityRiver gauge, Red River	2.75 ft	Below flood stage	−0.08 ft	23 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Kentucky River at Lock 14 at Heidelberg?

The official flood stage is 20.00 ft. The level is currently 10.54 ft below it.

Where is the Kentucky River at Lock 14 at Heidelberg gauge?

The gauge is in Lee County, Kentucky. It sits 625 ft above sea level.

Is gage height the same as water depth?

No. Gage height is measured from a fixed reference point chosen by the agency, so a reading of 10 ft does not mean the river is 10 ft deep.

What is the water level of Kentucky River at Lock 14 at Heidelberg today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 08:55 AM EDT, the water level was 9.46 ft. Down 0.11 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Kentucky River at Lock 14 at Heidelberg rising or falling?

Down 0.11 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.89 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Kentucky River at Lock 14 at Heidelberg normal?

Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Kentucky River at Lock 14 at Heidelberg?

The highest level on record is 35.60 ft on February 4, 1939.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:03282000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 37.55314, -83.76936 (WGS84)
Vertical datum: NAVD88
Update interval: every 15 minutes
Licence: Public domain. Data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provisional data subject to revision

Published series

Parameter	Last value	Time (UTC)	Quality
Water level	9.46 ft	2026-10-21 12:55	Provisional
Flow	607 cfs	2026-10-21 12:55	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Kentucky River at Lock 14 at Heidelberg (usgs:03282000). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kentucky/kentucky-river-at-lock-14-at-heidelberg

How we check values

Each reading is stored as published. We hold back values that jump faster than physically plausible and show the measurement time with every value.

Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer