TidalMapNorth Fork Kentucky River at Jackson, 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 03280000 sits on the North Fork Kentucky River and reads everything draining 1,101 square miles of the North Fork Kentucky basin. Its datum sits 698 feet above sea level NAVD88. Daily flow is on record here from 1928 to 2023, 84 years in all.
Normal flows here
The North Fork Kentucky River runs a median of 510 cfs at this gauge across 84 years of record. March is the fullest month at a median 1,960 cfs, and October the leanest at 150 cfs. The highest daily mean on record is 52,200 cfs in 1984, and the lowest is 0.0 cfs in 1931.
| Month | Median flow | Share of annual median |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1,200 cfs | 236% |
| Feb | 1,760 cfs | 345% |
| Mar | 1,960 cfs | 385% |
| Apr | 1,395 cfs | 274% |
| May | 847 cfs | 166% |
| Jun | 386 cfs | 76% |
| Jul | 321 cfs | 63% |
| Aug | 250 cfs | 49% |
| Sep | 151 cfs | 30% |
| Oct | 150 cfs | 29% |
| Nov | 280 cfs | 55% |
| Dec | 853 cfs | 167% |
Medians from the USGS daily-statistics record, 1928 to 2023. A month at 100% is running at its own long-term median. USGS stopped publishing a daily flow record at this gauge, so these are historical norms, not a baseline for current readings.
Flood stages and record crests
The North Fork Kentucky River reaches flood stage at this gauge at 29 feet. NWS starts watching it at 23 feet. The highest crest on record is 43.5 feet, in July 2022.
| Category | Gage height |
|---|---|
| Action | 23 ft |
| Minor flooding | 29 ft |
| Moderate flooding | 31 ft |
| Major flooding | 40 ft |
| When | Crest |
|---|---|
| July 2022 | 43.5 ft |
| February 1939 | 43.1 ft |
| May 1927 | 42.9 ft |
| May 1984 | 42 ft |
| February 1951 | 41.3 ft |
Flood categories and crest history from the NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge JKNK2. Stages are gage height, not depth. Not for navigation.
Nearby river gauges
- Middle Fork Kentucky River at Tallega, KY
- Middle Fork Kentucky River at Hwy28 near Buckhorn, KY
- Red River near Hazel Green, KY
- Trace Br at Trace Br Campground at Confluence, KY
- South Fork Kentucky River at Booneville, KY
- North Fork Kentucky River at Hazard, KY
- Licking River below Mason Fork near Salyersville, KY
- Kentucky River at Lock 14 at Heidelberg, KY
- Cutshin Creek at Wooton, KY
- Middle Fork Kentucky River at Hwy 2431 at Hyden,ky
- Sturgeon Creek at Cressmont, KY
- Kentucky River at Lock 13 near Willow Shoals, KY
Live streamflow and gage height: USGS gauge 03280000. Percentile context computed against the gauge's period of record. Not for navigation.
Open North Fork Kentucky River at Jackson, KY on the live chart →
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