Little Sandy River at Grayson water level

Name: Little Sandy River at Grayson 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, Little Sandy River, Kentucky, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

4.34ft Down 0.09 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 10:00 AM EDT (42 min ago)

Flow: 58.0 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 4.20 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 08:00 AM. Issued Sunday, October 18 at 09:25 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The Little Sandy River at Grayson is at 4.34 ft, in the normal range.

It is 16.66 ft below the flood stage of 21.00 ft.

It has dropped 0.09 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 4.20 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 08:00 AM. In the last month it has stayed between 4.34 ft and 4.63 ft.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 30.57 ftMarch 2, 1997
Lowest on record: 3.60 ftJuly 28, 1999
Forecast peak: 4.30 ftMonday, October 19 at 08:00 AM

Floating and fishing near Little Sandy River at Grayson

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

Flood stage here is 21.00 ft, 16.66 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

27.50 ft: Stages of 27 and a half feet and above can expect large amounts of property damage. Evacuation of homes and businesses may be necessary.
25.00 ft: Affects homes upstream along river and a low section of Route 60 near the river gage. Backwater along streams and creeks draining into the river.
23.00 ft: Low spots on Route 773 and Jackson Road along the river are flooded.
22.00 ft: Affects the buildings next to river gage. Also, water starts to flow onto Route 773 and in the Dixie Park area just past I-64 bridge. State Route 1910 floods.
21.00 ft: Mostly farmland, a few outbuildings, and low spots on roads along river in the vicinity of Grayson start to flood.
4.34 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: 32 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	30.57 ft	March 2, 1997
2	29.20 ft	March 20, 2002
3	28.99 ft	December 9, 1978
4	28.20 ft	March 7, 1967
5	27.95 ft	March 1, 2021
6	27.88 ft	May 3, 2010
7	27.53 ft	September 22, 1950
8	26.91 ft	February 16, 1989
9	26.25 ft	February 1, 1939
10	25.83 ft	March 23, 1952

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:45 AM Sunset 06:50 PM Daylight 11 hr, 5 min First quarter 60%

Map

Other gauges on the Little Sandy River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Little Sandy River below Grayson Dam near LeonRiver gauge, Little Sandy River	42.8 cfs	Normal	−0.6 cfs	6.0 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Tygarts Creek at Lawton Road at Olive HillRiver gauge, Tygarts Creek	1.11 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	14 mi
Tygarts Creek near GreenupRiver gauge, Tygarts Creek	2.71 ft	Below flood stage	−0.09 ft	16 mi
Ohio River at AshlandRiver gauge, Ohio River	34.77 ft	Below flood stage	−0.15 ft	19 mi
Ohio River at IrontonRiver gauge, Ohio River	34.58 ft	High	−0.08 ft	20 mi
Big Sandy River at LouisaRiver gauge, Big Sandy River	4.77 ft	Below flood stage	−0.87 ft	20 mi
Blaine Creek near BlaineRiver gauge, Blaine Creek	2.69 ft	Below flood stage	−0.16 ft	21 mi
Ohio River at Greenup Dam near GreenupRiver gauge, Ohio River	19.19 ft	Below flood stage	+6.28 ft	22 mi
Ohio River at HuntingtonRiver gauge, Ohio River	26.88 ft	Normal	−0.47 ft	24 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Little Sandy River at Grayson?

The official flood stage is 21.00 ft. The level is currently 16.66 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 Little Sandy River at Grayson today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 10:00 AM EDT, the water level was 4.34 ft. Down 0.09 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Little Sandy River at Grayson rising or falling?

Down 0.09 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Little Sandy River at Grayson normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Little Sandy River at Grayson?

The highest level on record is 30.57 ft on March 2, 1997. The lowest is 3.60 ft on July 28, 1999.

Is Little Sandy River at Grayson expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to fall to 4.20 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 08:00 AM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:03216500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 38.33008, -82.93934 (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	4.34 ft	2026-10-19 14:00	Provisional
Flow	58.0 cfs	2026-10-19 14:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Little Sandy River at Grayson (usgs:03216500). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kentucky/little-sandy-river-at-grayson

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