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Licking River at Blue Lick Springs water level

River gauge, Licking River, Kentucky, United States

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Right now

Below flood stage

Water level

4.72ft Down 0.28 ft over the last 24 hours

Flow
182 cfs
0 25 50 Highest onrecord 47.60 ft Minor floodstage 25.00 ft

History

History
56ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 19Oct 2056ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 20
Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Licking River at Blue Lick Springs, where the gauge shows 4.72 ft.

It is 20.28 ft below the flood stage of 25.00 ft.

It is still going down, by 0.28 ft over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 4.72 ft – 6.46 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record
47.60 ftMarch 3, 1997

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

For reference, flood stage is 25.00 ft.

What happens at each level

47.60 ft
All low areas in and near Blue Licks Spring are flooded.
45.00 ft
Water reaches surface of old KY 68 bridge over the Licking River.
42.00 ft
Homes in and near Blue Licks Spring have water in the first floor.
25.00 ft
Cropland flooding begins.
4.72 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: 20 %.

RankLevelDate
147.60 ftMarch 3, 1997
247.40 ftJanuary 1, 1937
345.00 ftApril 13, 1948
441.40 ftFebruary 16, 1989
541.20 ftMarch 10, 1964
640.96 ftMay 5, 2010
740.43 ftApril 6, 2025
840.20 ftFebruary 3, 1950
939.50 ftDecember 9, 1978
1039.45 ftMarch 2, 1962

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 71° 37° – Wind 6 mph
21 Wed 73° 40° – Wind 6 mph
22 Thu 72° 44° – Wind 8 mph
23 Fri 72° 45° – Wind 8 mph
24 Sat 75° 46° – Wind 6 mph
25 Sun 75° 49° – Wind 5 mph
26 Mon 75° 52° – Wind 10 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:50 AM Sunset 06:52 PM Daylight 11 hr, 2 min Waxing gibbous 72%

Map

Other gauges on the Licking River

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Licking River near Newark OHRiver gauge, Licking River 3.22 ft Below flood stage −0.03 ft 144 mi
Licking River below Dillon Dam near Dillon Falls OHRiver gauge, Licking River 4.28 ft High +0.15 ft 149 mi
Licking River below Mason Fork near SalyersvilleRiver gauge, Licking River 4.81 ft Below flood stage −0.05 ft 70 mi
Licking River at FarmersRiver gauge, Licking River 8.68 ft No reference yet ±0 32 mi
Licking River at Highway 60 at FarmersRiver gauge, Licking River 2.45 ft No reference yet −0.22 ft 31 mi
Licking River at McKinneysburgRiver gauge, Licking River 4.76 ft Below flood stage −0.33 ft 19 mi
Licking River at CatawbaRiver gauge, Licking River 424 cfs Normal −147.0 cfs 26 mi
Licking River at Highway 536 near AlexandriaRiver gauge, Licking River 491 cfs Normal −143.0 cfs 42 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
North Fork Licking River near Mount OlivetRiver gauge, North Fork Licking River 1.55 ft Below flood stage ±0 12 mi
Hinkston Creek near CarlisleRiver gauge, Hinkston Creek 7.4 cfs Normal −2.3 cfs 12 mi
South Fork Licking River at CynthianaRiver gauge, South Fork Licking River 5.01 ft Below flood stage −0.06 ft 17 mi
Stoner Creek at Water Plant at ParisRiver gauge, Stoner Creek 13.21 ft Normal −0.03 ft 20 mi
Ohio River at MaysvilleRiver gauge, Ohio River 33.87 ft Low −0.30 ft 22 mi
Rock Lick Creek at State Highway 158 near Sharkey, Ky Station DRiver gauge, Rock Lick Creek 0.1 cfs Low ±0 25 mi
South Fork Licking River at HayesRiver gauge, South Fork Licking River 120 cfs Normal −11.0 cfs 25 mi
Slate Creek at Highway 713 near Mount SterlingRiver gauge, Slate Creek 14.2 cfs Normal −3.2 cfs 29 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Licking River at Blue Lick Springs?

The official flood stage is 25.00 ft. The level is currently 20.28 ft below it.

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 Licking River at Blue Lick Springs today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 06:00 PM EDT, the water level was 4.72 ft. Down 0.28 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Licking River at Blue Lick Springs rising or falling?

Down 0.28 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Licking River at Blue Lick Springs normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Licking River at Blue Lick Springs?

The highest level on record is 47.60 ft on March 3, 1997.

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Geological Survey publishes a new reading every 15 minutes. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
Operator
U.S. Geological Survey
Station code
usgs:03250500 (Agency page)
Coordinates
38.42007, -83.99743 (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

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Water level 4.72 ft 2026-10-20 22:00 Provisional
Flow 182 cfs 2026-10-20 22:00 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Licking River at Blue Lick Springs (usgs:03250500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kentucky/licking-river-at-blue-lick-springs

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.