Buckhorn Lake at Buckhorn water level

Name: Buckhorn Lake at Buckhorn water level (U.S. Geological Survey)
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
License: https://www.usgs.gov/information-policies-and-instructions/copyrights-and-credits

Lake, Buckhorn Lake, Kentucky, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Surface elevation

782.07ft Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 03:15 PM EDT (1 hour ago)

Water level: 82.07 ft

History

7 days

Surface elevation Minor flood stage

What this means

Nothing unusual at Buckhorn Lake at Buckhorn right now: the lake level of 782.07 ft is in the normal range.

It is 57.93 ft below the flood stage of 840.00 ft.

The level is falling, down 0.06 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 782.07 ft and 782.45 ft.

Lakes and reservoirs often sit lower in fall after a summer of evaporation and use, and recover with winter rain and spring snowmelt.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 839.40 ftMarch 1, 1963

Swimming and boating at Buckhorn Lake at Buckhorn

At a normal level, ramps and marinas generally run as usual, and fishing tends to follow the season more than the water level.

If you swim, pick a spot with an easy way out, and remember that drop-offs move as the level changes.

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.10 in.

20 Tue 69° 40° – Wind 5 mph

21 Wed 70° 43° – Wind 6 mph

22 Thu 70° 45° – Wind 6 mph

23 Fri 71° 44° – Wind 5 mph

24 Sat 73° 47° – Wind 5 mph

25 Sun 74° 49° – Wind 3 mph

26 Mon 73° 50° – Wind 6 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:47 AM Sunset 06:52 PM Daylight 11 hr, 4 min Waxing gibbous 71%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Middle Fork Kentucky River at Hwy28 near BuckhornRiver gauge, Middle Fork Kentucky River	3.81 ft	Low	−0.16 ft	1.2 mi
South Fork Kentucky River at BoonevilleRiver gauge, South Fork Kentucky River	3.51 ft	Below flood stage	−0.10 ft	15 mi
Cutshin Creek at WootonRiver gauge, Cutshin Creek	17.9 cfs	Normal	+3.6 cfs	15 mi
North Fork Kentucky River at JacksonRiver gauge, North Fork Kentucky River	1.71 ft	Below flood stage	−0.08 ft	15 mi
Middle Fork Kentucky River at TallegaRiver gauge, Middle Fork Kentucky River	134 cfs	Normal	−32.0 cfs	16 mi
North Fork Kentucky River at HazardRiver gauge, North Fork Kentucky River	4.38 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	17 mi
Goose Creek at ManchesterRiver gauge, Goose Creek	10.4 cfs	Normal	−1.9 cfs	21 mi
Sturgeon Creek at CressmontRiver gauge, Sturgeon Creek	4.3 cfs	Normal	−0.8 cfs	22 mi

Questions and answers

Is Buckhorn Lake at Buckhorn really 782.07 ft deep?

No. 782.07 ft is the height of the water surface above sea level (or the agency's vertical datum), not the depth of the water.

What is the water level of Buckhorn Lake at Buckhorn today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 03:15 PM EDT, the surface elevation was 782.07 ft. Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Buckhorn Lake at Buckhorn rising or falling?

Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Buckhorn Lake at Buckhorn normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Buckhorn Lake at Buckhorn?

The highest level on record is 839.40 ft on March 1, 1963.

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.

Where does this data come from?

The values come directly from the U.S. Geological Survey, the official operator of this gauge, and are in the public domain. We do not estimate or model live values.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:03280800 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 37.34009, -83.47018 (WGS84)
Vertical datum: NGVD29
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
Surface elevation	782.07 ft	2026-10-20 19:15	Provisional
Water level	82.07 ft	2026-10-20 19:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Buckhorn Lake at Buckhorn (usgs:03280800). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kentucky/buckhorn-lake-at-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