Kentucky River at Lock 4 at Frankfort water level

Name: Kentucky River at Lock 4 at Frankfort 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

Normal for mid-October

Water level

7.50ft Down 0.16 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 09:30 AM EDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 1,720 cfs
Water temperature: 66 °F

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %) Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 7.10 ft by Saturday, October 24 at 08:00 AM. Issued Tuesday, October 20 at 09:29 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The gauge at Kentucky River at Lock 4 at Frankfort reads 7.50 ft, a normal level for mid-October.

That puts it 0.31 ft above the median of 7.19 ft for mid-October, based on 34 years of readings. It is 23.50 ft below the flood stage of 31.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 7.09 ft (+0.41 ft).

The level is falling, down 0.16 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 7.10 ft by Saturday, October 24 at 08:00 AM. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 6.78 ft and 7.86 ft.

The sensor also reports a water temperature of 66 °F.

Compared with 34 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 7.19 ft0.31 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 6.72 ft – 10.07 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (34 years of records)
Same day last year: 7.09 ft+0.41 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 6.78 ft – 7.86 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 6.78 ft – 20.54 ft
Highest on record: 48.47 ftDecember 10, 1978
Forecast peak: 7.50 ftTuesday, October 20 at 02:00 PM

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 31.00 ft, still 23.50 ft away.

What happens at each level

51.50 ft: Water reaches the top of protection in South Frankfort.
51.00 ft: Water reaches the top of protection in North Frankfort.
48.00 ft: Areas outside of floodwall are covered. Many county roads are closed. Most of Buffalo Trace Distillery is flooded.
47.00 ft: Buffalo Trace Distillery offices flood along Fair Oaks Lane.
44.00 ft: Homes along Big Eddy Road flood. Parts of Port Collins Road and Polsgrove Road flood and cutoff homes. Water crosses Wilkinson Boulevard at Leestown Lane which cuts off Frankfort Housing Authority and Walter Todd Drive. Buffalo Trace Distillery Ash Building (across Wilkinson Boulevard) floods.
43.00 ft: Bellepoint is cut off. Indian Gap Road, Bates Road and River Valley Road flood. Water Plant is affected. Todd Park floods.
40.00 ft: Paul Sawyier Drive, East Second Street, East Fourth Street and Admirals Landing flood. The entrance at McDonald Ferry Road floods. Buffalo Trace Distillery Visitor Parking Lot floods.
39.00 ft: Portions of Logan Street, Norton Street and Murray Street flood. Riverboat Landing is flooded. Steele Branch Road is flooded resulting in some homes being cut off and Kentucky River Campground closure.
38.00 ft: KY 420 (Old Lawrenceburg Road) closes. Wilkinson Street (dead end), Watson Court, Wilson Street and Kentucky Avenue flood. Many basements of homes flood in south Frankfort along Paul Sawyier Drive and Hermitage Drive.
37.00 ft: Taylor Avenue floods near quarry. Swallowfield Road floods at Bates Road.
36.00 ft: Travis Circle, Onans Bend Road, and Polsgrove Road flood.
33.00 ft: Steele Branch Road floods at dead end. Stoney Creek Road and Shadrick Ferry Road close. Buffalo Trace Distillery buildings along the river flood.
7.50 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: < 5 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	48.47 ft	December 10, 1978
2	48.35 ft	April 7, 2025
3	47.46 ft	January 25, 1937
4	45.22 ft	March 3, 1997
5	44.17 ft	February 16, 1989
6	42.84 ft	May 5, 2010
7	42.80 ft	February 1, 1883
8	42.25 ft	April 16, 1972
9	40.73 ft	March 1, 1962
10	40.16 ft	March 5, 2021

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 73° 41° – Wind 5 mph

21 Wed 74° 42° – Wind 5 mph

22 Thu 74° 47° – Wind 7 mph

23 Fri 74° 47° – Wind 7 mph

24 Sat 76° 47° – Wind 8 mph

25 Sun 74° 50° – Wind 7 mph

26 Mon 73° 54° – Wind 6 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:54 AM Sunset 06:56 PM Daylight 11 hr, 2 min First quarter 69%

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	726 cfs	Normal	−185.0 cfs	71 mi
Kentucky River at Lock 12 near IrvineRiver gauge, Kentucky River	9.79 ft	Below flood stage	−0.19 ft	62 mi
Kentucky River at Lock 11 near College HillRiver gauge, Kentucky River	694 cfs	Normal	−446.0 cfs	51 mi
Kentucky River at Lock 10 near WinchesterRiver gauge, Kentucky River	10.32 ft	Normal	−0.25 ft	40 mi
Kentucky River at Lock 9 at Valley ViewRiver gauge, Kentucky River	1,060 cfs	Normal	−260.0 cfs	35 mi
Kentucky River at Lock 8 near Camp NelsonRiver gauge, Kentucky River	12.28 ft	Below flood stage	−0.26 ft	36 mi
Kentucky River at Lock 7 at HighbridgeRiver gauge, Kentucky River	9.30 ft	Below flood stage	−0.48 ft	28 mi
Kentucky River at Lock 6 near SalvisaRiver gauge, Kentucky River	1,680 cfs	Normal	−410.0 cfs	20 mi
Kentucky River at Lock 5 near TyroneRiver gauge, Kentucky River	1,630 cfs	Normal	−390.0 cfs	11 mi
Kentucky River at Lock 3 at GestRiver gauge, Kentucky River	8.31 ft	Very low	−2.09 ft	14 mi
Kentucky River at Lock 2 at LockportRiver gauge, Kentucky River	9.38 ft	Below flood stage	−0.22 ft	16 mi
Kentucky River at Lock 1 near CarrolltonRiver gauge, Kentucky River	9.68 ft	High	−0.18 ft	34 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Elkhorn Creek near FrankfortRiver gauge, Elkhorn Creek	2.36 ft	Below flood stage	−0.08 ft	5.1 mi
South Elkhorn Creek near MidwayRiver gauge, South Elkhorn Creek	70.8 cfs	Normal	−5.5 cfs	13 mi
North Elkhorn Creek at GeorgetownRiver gauge, North Elkhorn Creek	31.8 cfs	Normal	−10.0 cfs	17 mi
Royal Springs at GeorgetownRiver gauge, Royal Springs	0.3 cfs	Low	−0.4 cfs	17 mi
Town Branch at Yarnallton Road at YarnalltonRiver gauge, Town Branch	28.7 cfs	Low	−0.8 cfs	17 mi
Salt River at GlensboroRiver gauge, Salt River	28.3 cfs	Normal	−6.6 cfs	18 mi
South Elkhorn Creek at Fort SpringRiver gauge, South Elkhorn Creek	3.6 cfs	Normal	±0	18 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Kentucky River at Lock 4 at Frankfort compare with last year?

It is 0.41 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 7.09 ft.

What is flood stage for the Kentucky River at Lock 4 at Frankfort?

The official flood stage is 31.00 ft. The level is currently 23.50 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Kentucky River at Lock 4 at Frankfort in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 7.19 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 6.72 ft and 10.07 ft, based on 34 years of records.

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 4 at Frankfort today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 09:30 AM EDT, the water level was 7.50 ft. Down 0.16 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Kentucky River at Lock 4 at Frankfort rising or falling?

Down 0.16 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.58 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Kentucky River at Lock 4 at Frankfort normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 34 years of daily readings for this time of year.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:03287500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 38.21133, -84.87411 (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	7.50 ft	2026-10-20 13:30	Provisional
Flow	1,720 cfs	2026-10-20 13:30	Provisional
Water temperature	66 °F	2026-10-20 13:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Kentucky River at Lock 4 at Frankfort (usgs:03287500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kentucky/kentucky-river-at-lock-4-at-frankfort

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