Licking River at McKinneysburg water level

Name: Licking River at McKinneysburg 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, Licking River, Kentucky, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

5.18ft Down 0.69 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 02:45 PM EDT (27 min ago)

Flow: 328 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Licking River at McKinneysburg, where the gauge shows 5.18 ft.

It is 29.82 ft below the flood stage of 35.00 ft.

It is still going down, by 0.69 ft over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 4.49 ft – 5.94 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: 55.21 ftMarch 2, 1997

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 35.00 ft.

What happens at each level

55.00 ft: This equates to the flood of record, which occurred on March 1, 1997. Widespread major flooding occurs, with numerous homes along the river inundated.
52.00 ft: This stage is roughly equal to the FEMA 1 percent flood in southeast Pendleton County. Backwater flooding affects Willow Creek...including flooding along Galloway Road which inundate farm buildings and potentially some farm houses.
48.00 ft: Much of the basin in southern Pendleton County is inundated, including homes in the valley along McKinneysburg Spur and Colvin Bend Roads.
42.00 ft: Moderate flooding occurs with flooding in the McKinneysburg area worsening. Low areas along McKinneysburg Road and Colvin Bend Road receive the most flooding in southern Pendleton County, with some mobile homes and farm outbuildings flooded along the McKinneysburg Spur.
40.00 ft: Lowland flooding continues in southern Pendleton County, especially along McKinneysburg Road and in the Colvin Bend Road area. Water approaches some mobile homes and agricultural outbuildings along the river.
35.00 ft: Lowland flooding in southern Pendleton County, especially along McKinneysburg Road and in the Colvin Bend Road area, where high water makes the road impassible. Access to some homes near Colvin Bend Road and McKinneysburg Spur is cut off.
33.00 ft: Some flooding occurs along the river in southern Pendleton County and is mainly confined to lowland and agricultural areas. Water approaches Colvin Bend Road and McKinneysburg Spur.
5.18 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	55.21 ft	March 2, 1997
2	50.26 ft	March 10, 1964
3	47.80 ft	January 20, 1937
4	47.59 ft	April 13, 1948
5	43.76 ft	April 6, 2025
6	42.50 ft	December 1, 1921
7	41.08 ft	May 9, 1961
8	40.86 ft	March 20, 1943
9	40.41 ft	March 7, 1945
10	39.09 ft	February 28, 1962

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:51 AM Sunset 06:55 PM Daylight 11 hr, 4 min First quarter 61%

Map

Other gauges on the Licking River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Licking River near Newark OHRiver gauge, Licking River	3.25 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	144 mi
Licking River below Dillon Dam near Dillon Falls OHRiver gauge, Licking River	4.13 ft	High	±0	151 mi
Licking River below Mason Fork near SalyersvilleRiver gauge, Licking River	4.87 ft	Below flood stage	−0.09 ft	89 mi
Licking River at FarmersRiver gauge, Licking River	8.67 ft	No reference yet	±0	52 mi
Licking River at Highway 60 at FarmersRiver gauge, Licking River	2.52 ft	No reference yet	+0.09 ft	50 mi
Licking River at Blue Lick SpringsRiver gauge, Licking River	5.07 ft	Below flood stage	−0.62 ft	19 mi
Licking River at CatawbaRiver gauge, Licking River	602 cfs	Normal	+152 cfs	8 mi
Licking River at Highway 536 near AlexandriaRiver gauge, Licking River	606 cfs	Normal	+434 cfs	24 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
South Fork Licking River at HayesRiver gauge, South Fork Licking River	136 cfs	Normal	−2.0 cfs	6.1 mi
North Fork Licking River near Mount OlivetRiver gauge, North Fork Licking River	1.55 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	13 mi
South Fork Licking River at CynthianaRiver gauge, South Fork Licking River	5.08 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	15 mi
Eagle Creek at SadievilleRiver gauge, Eagle Creek	0.2 cfs	Normal	±0	21 mi
Twelvemile Creek at Highway 1997 near AlexandriaRiver gauge, Twelvemile Creek	1.50 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	25 mi
Ohio River at MaysvilleRiver gauge, Ohio River	34.15 ft	Normal	−0.35 ft	27 mi
Hinkston Creek near CarlisleRiver gauge, Hinkston Creek	10.9 cfs	Normal	−5.3 cfs	27 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Licking River at McKinneysburg?

The official flood stage is 35.00 ft. The level is currently 29.82 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 McKinneysburg today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 02:45 PM EDT, the water level was 5.18 ft. Down 0.69 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Licking River at McKinneysburg rising or falling?

Down 0.69 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Licking River at McKinneysburg 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 McKinneysburg?

The highest level on record is 55.21 ft on March 2, 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:03251500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 38.60007, -84.26632 (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	5.18 ft	2026-10-19 18:45	Provisional
Flow	328 cfs	2026-10-19 18:45	Provisional

Download

Embed this gauge

Add a live card for this gauge to your website. It updates on its own and links back here.

<iframe src="https://nivelmap.com/embed/10638?lang=en" width="360" height="230" style="border:0;max-width:100%" loading="lazy" title="Licking River at McKinneysburg water level"></iframe>

How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Licking River at McKinneysburg (usgs:03251500). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kentucky/licking-river-at-mckinneysburg

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