TidalMapLicking River below Mason Fork near Salyersville, KY Water Level Today
NWS river forecast
| When | Stage | Flow |
|---|
Forecast from the NOAA National Water Prediction Service. Issued a few times a day and only while a forecast is active. Not for navigation.
Last 30 days
About this gauge
USGS gauge 03248300 sits on the Licking River and reads everything draining 107 square miles of the Licking basin. Its datum sits 840 feet above sea level NAVD88. Daily flow has been on record here since 2001, 22 years of it.
Normal flows here
The Licking River runs a median of 46 cfs at this gauge across 22 years of record. February is the fullest month at a median 170 cfs, and October the leanest at 12 cfs. The highest daily mean on record is 5,840 cfs in 2021, and the lowest is 0.3 cfs in 2009.
| Month | Median flow | Share of annual median |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 117 cfs | 252% |
| Feb | 170 cfs | 366% |
| Mar | 159 cfs | 342% |
| Apr | 136 cfs | 291% |
| May | 91 cfs | 196% |
| Jun | 36 cfs | 77% |
| Jul | 31 cfs | 67% |
| Aug | 22 cfs | 47% |
| Sep | 15 cfs | 32% |
| Oct | 12 cfs | 26% |
| Nov | 21 cfs | 45% |
| Dec | 94 cfs | 202% |
Medians from the USGS daily-statistics record, 2001 to 2025. A month at 100% is running at its own long-term median.
Flood stages and record crests
The Licking River reaches flood stage at this gauge at 17 feet. NWS starts watching it at 14 feet. The highest crest on record is 25.4 feet, in February 1939.
| Category | Gage height |
|---|---|
| Action | 14 ft |
| Minor flooding | 17 ft |
| Moderate flooding | 19 ft |
| Major flooding | 21 ft |
| When | Crest |
|---|---|
| February 1939 | 25.4 ft |
| December 1978 | 24.9 ft |
| February 1962 | 23.7 ft |
| May 1984 | 23.1 ft |
| May 2004 | 23.1 ft |
Flood categories and crest history from the NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge SAYK2. Stages are gage height, not depth. Not for navigation.
Nearby river gauges
- Levisa Fork at Paintsville, KY
- Levisa Fork at Prestonsburg, KY
- Johns Creek near Van Lear, KY
- Blaine Creek near Blaine, KY
- North Fork Kentucky River at Jackson, KY
- Red River near Hazel Green, KY
- Carr Fork near Sassafras, KY
- North Fork Kentucky River at Hazard, KY
- Little Sandy River below Grayson Dam near Leon, KY
- Middle Fork Kentucky River at Hwy28 near Buckhorn, KY
- Trace Br at Trace Br Campground at Confluence, KY
- Middle Fork Kentucky River at Tallega, KY
Live streamflow and gage height: USGS gauge 03248300. Percentile context computed against the gauge's period of record. Not for navigation.
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