TornadoLiveMap

Middle Fork Kentucky River at Buckhorn Lake — water level right now

Perry County, Kentucky · NWS gauge BUCK2
Loading the latest reading…
–
current stage (ft)
 
840
minor flood stage
 
839.4
record crest
set 1963-03-01
–
flood status
official NWS category
Official NOAA forecast → USGS data → Full US flood map →

Flood stages at this gauge

Where the water stands right now against the four official thresholds:

action · 820
minor · 840
moderate · 840
major · 840
Flood stageLevel (ft)What it means
Major flood stage840extensive inundation and significant evacuations — a serious event
Moderate flood stage840some buildings and roads inundated; evacuations possible
Minor flood stage840low-lying roads and fields near the river start to flood
Action stage820water is approaching flood level — time to pay attention

Highest floods on record here

#Crest (ft)Datevs. minor flood stage
1839.41963-03-010.6 below

Historic crests recorded at this gauge by the National Weather Service — the 12 highest on file.

Where this gauge is

The marker is this gauge; nearby gauges load live and are clickable.

Nearby river gauges

South Fork Kentucky River at Oneida 11 mi away · loading… North Fork Kentucky River at Jackson 15 mi away · loading… South Fork Kentucky River at Booneville 15 mi away · loading… North Fork Kentucky River at Hazard 17 mi away · loading… Kentucky River at Heidelberg 22 mi away · loading… Carr Creek at Carr Creek Lake 25 mi away · loading…

Gauge details

NWS gauge IDBUCK2
USGS site03280800
CountyPerry
StateKentucky
NWS forecast officeJackson
River forecast centerOhio River Forecast Center
Coordinates37.34, -83.47
Time zoneEST5EDT
Turn Around, Don't Drown. Six inches of moving water can knock you off your feet and twelve inches can float a car. Never drive around barricades or into water of unknown depth — most flood deaths happen in vehicles.

Questions about Middle Fork Kentucky River at Buckhorn Lake

Is Middle Fork Kentucky River at Buckhorn Lake flooding right now?

The live reading at the top of this page answers that: the gauge is compared against its official NWS flood stages every 15 minutes. Minor flooding at this gauge begins at 840 ft. Blue means normal, yellow is action stage, orange minor, red moderate and dark red major flooding.

What is flood stage for Middle Fork Kentucky River at Buckhorn Lake?

major flood stage 840 ft, moderate flood stage 840 ft, minor flood stage 840 ft, action stage 820 ft. These are official National Weather Service thresholds set specifically for this gauge, not generic values.

What is the record flood at Middle Fork Kentucky River at Buckhorn Lake?

The highest crest on file at this gauge is 839.4 ft, reached on 1963-03-01 — that is -0.6 ft above minor flood stage. The full list of the highest crests is in the table on this page.

Where does this data come from?

From the NOAA National Water Prediction Service, the official U.S. river gauge network — a U.S. government work in the public domain. Live stage is refreshed every 15 minutes; flood thresholds and historic crests are refreshed monthly. For life-safety decisions follow NWS Jackson and local emergency management.