Kentucky River at Lock 12 near Irvine water level

Name: Kentucky River at Lock 12 near Irvine 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

9.71ft Down 0.35 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 07:20 AM EDT (1 hour ago)

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The Kentucky River at Lock 12 near Irvine is at 9.71 ft, in the normal range.

It is 11.29 ft below the flood stage of 21.00 ft.

It has dropped 0.35 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 9.56 ft and 10.91 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: 40.30 ftMarch 2, 2021

Floating and fishing near Kentucky River at Lock 12 near Irvine

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 21.00 ft, 11.29 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

39.36 ft: Flooding will exceed the highest flood on record.
31.00 ft: Major flooding occurs.
25.00 ft: Moderate flooding occurs.
21.50 ft: Sang Branch Road is under water at Red Lick Creek.
21.00 ft: Low lying areas flood. Red Lick Road, Millers Creek Road, Dark Hollow Road, and Noland Creek Road flood in several places.
9.71 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: 40 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	40.30 ft	March 2, 2021
2	39.37 ft	February 4, 1939
3	38.87 ft	March 27, 1913
4	38.37 ft	January 31, 1957
5	37.57 ft	January 29, 1918
6	37.57 ft	February 9, 1978
7	37.57 ft	March 1, 1972
8	37.27 ft	March 24, 1929
9	36.96 ft	February 18, 2025
10	35.02 ft	February 18, 2003

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.13 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

18 Sun 62° 37° – Wind 9 mph

19 Mon 68° 44° – Wind 7 mph

20 Tue 70° 44° – Wind 6 mph

21 Wed 71° 44° – Wind 5 mph

22 Thu 70° 44° – Wind 5 mph

23 Fri 72° 44° – Wind 6 mph

24 Sat 75° 46° – Wind 4 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:49 AM Sunset 06:53 PM Daylight 11 hr, 4 min First quarter 68%

Map

Other gauges on the Kentucky River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Kentucky River at Lock 14 at HeidelbergRiver gauge, Kentucky River	9.58 ft	Below flood stage	−0.11 ft	13 mi
Kentucky River at Lock 13 near Willow ShoalsRiver gauge, Kentucky River	771 cfs	Normal	−140.0 cfs	8 mi
Kentucky River at Lock 11 near College HillRiver gauge, Kentucky River	794 cfs	Normal	−386.0 cfs	11 mi
Kentucky River at Lock 10 near WinchesterRiver gauge, Kentucky River	10.36 ft	Normal	−0.23 ft	23 mi
Kentucky River at Lock 9 at Valley ViewRiver gauge, Kentucky River	1,080 cfs	Normal	−260.0 cfs	29 mi
Kentucky River at Lock 8 near Camp NelsonRiver gauge, Kentucky River	12.31 ft	Below flood stage	−0.28 ft	35 mi
Kentucky River at Lock 7 at HighbridgeRiver gauge, Kentucky River	9.37 ft	Below flood stage	−0.47 ft	44 mi
Kentucky River at Lock 6 near SalvisaRiver gauge, Kentucky River	1,700 cfs	Normal	−440.0 cfs	51 mi
Kentucky River at Lock 5 near TyroneRiver gauge, Kentucky River	1,650 cfs	Normal	−400.0 cfs	55 mi
Kentucky River at Lock 4 at FrankfortRiver gauge, Kentucky River	7.51 ft	Normal	−0.16 ft	62 mi
Kentucky River at Lock 3 at GestRiver gauge, Kentucky River	10.21 ft	Normal	−0.20 ft	72 mi
Kentucky River at Lock 2 at LockportRiver gauge, Kentucky River	9.40 ft	Below flood stage	−0.21 ft	76 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Red River at Clay CityRiver gauge, Red River	2.83 ft	Below flood stage	−0.12 ft	13 mi
Sturgeon Creek at CressmontRiver gauge, Sturgeon Creek	4.1 cfs	Low	−1.0 cfs	14 mi
South Fork Kentucky River at BoonevilleRiver gauge, South Fork Kentucky River	3.53 ft	Below flood stage	−0.11 ft	20 mi
Middle Fork Kentucky River at TallegaRiver gauge, Middle Fork Kentucky River	161 cfs	Normal	−9.0 cfs	21 mi
Slate Creek at Highway 713 near Mount SterlingRiver gauge, Slate Creek	15.4 cfs	Normal	−2.7 cfs	25 mi
Red River near Hazel GreenRiver gauge, Red River	4.7 cfs	Normal	−2.3 cfs	28 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Kentucky River at Lock 12 near Irvine?

The official flood stage is 21.00 ft. The level is currently 11.29 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 Kentucky River at Lock 12 near Irvine today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 07:20 AM EDT, the water level was 9.71 ft. Down 0.35 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Kentucky River at Lock 12 near Irvine rising or falling?

Down 0.35 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Kentucky River at Lock 12 near Irvine 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 12 near Irvine?

The highest level on record is 40.30 ft on March 2, 2021.

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:03282120 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 37.67833, -83.94833 (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	9.71 ft	2026-10-20 11:20	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Kentucky River at Lock 12 near Irvine (usgs:03282120). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kentucky/kentucky-river-at-lock-12-near-irvine

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