Middle Fork Kentucky River at Hwy28 near Buckhorn water level

Name: Middle Fork Kentucky River at Hwy28 near Buckhorn 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, Middle Fork Kentucky River, Kentucky, United States

Directions

Low for late October

Water level

3.79ft Down 0.17 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 21, 2026, 04:45 AM EDT (42 min ago)

Flow: 51.6 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

Low water at Middle Fork Kentucky River at Hwy28 near Buckhorn: the gauge reads 3.79 ft, below normal for late October.

The median for late October is 4.26 ft, based on 5 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.47 ft below typical. On the same day last year the reading was 3.67 ft, a difference of +0.12 ft.

It is still going down, by 0.17 ft over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. The 30-day range is 3.66 ft – 5.15 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.

Compared with 5 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 4.26 ft0.47 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 3.66 ft – 4.41 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (5 years of records)
Same day last year: 3.67 ft+0.12 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 3.66 ft – 5.15 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 3.65 ft – 8.93 ft

Paddling and fishing conditions

At low levels, plan for shorter paddling trips and expect to walk your boat through a few shoals.

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

21 Wed 70° 43° – Wind 6 mph

22 Thu 70° 46° – Wind 6 mph

23 Fri 71° 44° – Wind 6 mph

24 Sat 74° 47° – Wind 3 mph

25 Sun 74° 49° – Wind 3 mph

26 Mon 73° 48° – Wind 4 mph

27 Tue 69° 52° – Wind 3 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:48 AM Sunset 06:50 PM Daylight 11 hr, 2 min Waxing gibbous 76%

Map

Other gauges on the Middle Fork Kentucky River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Middle Fork Kentucky River at Highway 2431 at HydenRiver gauge, Middle Fork Kentucky River	4.27 ft	No reference yet	−0.03 ft	14 mi
Middle Fork Kentucky River at TallegaRiver gauge, Middle Fork Kentucky River	114 cfs	Normal	−51.0 cfs	17 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Buckhorn Lake at BuckhornLake, Buckhorn Lake	782.07 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	1.2 mi
Cutshin Creek at WootonRiver gauge, Cutshin Creek	21.2 cfs	Normal	+4.0 cfs	15 mi
North Fork Kentucky River at JacksonRiver gauge, North Fork Kentucky River	1.71 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	15 mi
South Fork Kentucky River at BoonevilleRiver gauge, South Fork Kentucky River	3.45 ft	Below flood stage	−0.09 ft	16 mi
North Fork Kentucky River at HazardRiver gauge, North Fork Kentucky River	4.40 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	16 mi
Goose Creek at ManchesterRiver gauge, Goose Creek	9.6 cfs	Normal	−1.3 cfs	22 mi
Sturgeon Creek at CressmontRiver gauge, Sturgeon Creek	3.7 cfs	Low	−0.6 cfs	23 mi
Kentucky River at Lock 14 at HeidelbergRiver gauge, Kentucky River	9.48 ft	Below flood stage	−0.10 ft	23 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Middle Fork Kentucky River at Hwy28 near Buckhorn higher than last year?

Yes, it is 0.12 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.67 ft.

What is a normal level for the Middle Fork Kentucky River at Hwy28 near Buckhorn in late October?

The median for late October is 4.26 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3.66 ft and 4.41 ft, based on 5 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 Middle Fork Kentucky River at Hwy28 near Buckhorn today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 04:45 AM EDT, the water level was 3.79 ft. Down 0.17 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Middle Fork Kentucky River at Hwy28 near Buckhorn rising or falling?

Down 0.17 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.24 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Middle Fork Kentucky River at Hwy28 near Buckhorn normal?

Low for late October. Compared with 5 years of daily readings for this time of year.

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:03280902 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 37.34328, -83.44786 (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	3.79 ft	2026-10-21 08:45	Provisional
Flow	51.6 cfs	2026-10-21 08:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Middle Fork Kentucky River at Hwy28 near Buckhorn (usgs:03280902). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kentucky/middle-fork-kentucky-river-at-hwy28-near-buckhorn

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