North Fork Kentucky River at Whitesburg water level

Name: North Fork Kentucky River at Whitesburg 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, North Fork Kentucky River, Kentucky, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

1.43ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 08:30 AM EDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 24.3 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The gauge at North Fork Kentucky River at Whitesburg reads 1.43 ft, a normal level.

It is 8.57 ft below the flood stage of 10.00 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 1.39 ft and 1.72 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: 22.03 ftJuly 28, 2022

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 10.00 ft, still 8.57 ft away.

What happens at each level

15.90 ft: Flooding will exceed highest stage on record.
15.00 ft: Ky 15 bridge and the gage flood.
14.00 ft: Businesses begin to flood.
12.00 ft: Homes along the river begin to flood.
10.00 ft: Low lying areas flood.
1.43 ft: Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	22.03 ft	July 28, 2022
2	12.81 ft	February 16, 2025
3	11.15 ft	March 28, 2021
4	10.07 ft	March 1, 2021
5	9.54 ft	February 16, 2003

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.09 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

20 Tue 68° 41° – Wind 6 mph

21 Wed 69° 42° – Wind 7 mph

22 Thu 68° 47° – Wind 6 mph

23 Fri 71° 46° – Wind 4 mph

24 Sat 71° 48° – Wind 5 mph

25 Sun 71° 49° – Wind 4 mph

26 Mon 72° 50° – Wind 4 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:44 AM Sunset 06:49 PM Daylight 11 hr, 5 min First quarter 68%

Map

Other gauges on the North Fork Kentucky River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
North Fork Kentucky River at HazardRiver gauge, North Fork Kentucky River	4.43 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	22 mi
North Fork Kentucky River at JacksonRiver gauge, North Fork Kentucky River	1.75 ft	Below flood stage	−0.08 ft	43 mi
North Fork Kentucky River at BeattyvilleRiver gauge, North Fork Kentucky River	9.59 ft	No reference yet	−0.12 ft	58 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Poor Fork at CumberlandRiver gauge, Poor Fork	3.54 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	14 mi
Powell River at Big Stone GapRiver gauge, Powell River	46.5 cfs	Normal	−2.5 cfs	17 mi
Cranes Nest River near ClintwoodRiver gauge, Cranes Nest River	2.24 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	21 mi
Cutshin Creek at WootonRiver gauge, Cutshin Creek	17.9 cfs	Normal	+1.9 cfs	27 mi
Russell Fork at CedarvilleRiver gauge, Russell Fork	6.99 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	29 mi
Russell Fork at BartlickRiver gauge, Russell Fork	7.63 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	29 mi
Levisa Fork at PikevilleRiver gauge, Levisa Fork	6.44 ft	Below flood stage	−0.41 ft	29 mi
Russell Fork at HaysiRiver gauge, Russell Fork	2.35 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	30 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the North Fork Kentucky River at Whitesburg?

The official flood stage is 10.00 ft. The level is currently 8.57 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 North Fork Kentucky River at Whitesburg today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 08:30 AM EDT, the water level was 1.43 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is North Fork Kentucky River at Whitesburg rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of North Fork Kentucky River at Whitesburg normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at North Fork Kentucky River at Whitesburg?

The highest level on record is 22.03 ft on July 28, 2022.

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:03277300 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 37.11760, -82.82460 (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	1.43 ft	2026-10-20 12:30	Provisional
Flow	24.3 cfs	2026-10-20 12:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: North Fork Kentucky River at Whitesburg (usgs:03277300). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kentucky/north-fork-kentucky-river-at-whitesburg

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