How high is the Kentucky River at Lock 4 at Frankfort, KY right now?

The Kentucky River at Lock 4 at Frankfort, KY is currently flowing at 8,510 cubic feet per second with a gage height of 9.37 feet, based on the most recent USGS instantaneous reading.

Is the flow on the Kentucky River at Lock 4 at Frankfort, KY normal for this time of year?

Current flow is classified as high for June 11. Today's discharge is at the 76th percentile compared to the long-term historical record at this gauge.

Is the Kentucky River at Lock 4 at Frankfort, KY at flood stage?

No — the gage height is 21.63 feet below the NWS flood-stage threshold of 31.0 feet.

What is the historical median flow for the Kentucky River at Lock 4 at Frankfort, KY on June 11?

The long-term median discharge for this date is 2,490 cfs based on USGS daily statistics. The 10th–95th percentile range historically is 709 to 21,800 cfs.

Where is the Kentucky River at Lock 4 at Frankfort, KY stream gauge located?

The Kentucky River at Lock 4 at Frankfort, KY stream gauge is operated by the USGS in Franklin County, KY on the Kentucky River. USGS site number 03287500 (coordinates 38.2113, -84.8741).

Kentucky River at Lock 4 at Frankfort, KY

USGS Site No: 03287500 • Kentucky River • Franklin County, KY

Kentucky River at Lock 4 at Frankfort, KY on the Kentucky River is currently at 8,510 cfs (High — 76th percentile for this date) . Gage height: 9.37 ft.

Reading from 1 week ago

↑ Upstream on Kentucky River

Kentucky River at Lock 5 Near Tyrone, KY

Downstream on Kentucky River ↓

Kentucky River at Lock 2 at Lockport, KY

8,510

CFS Discharge

9.37

Gage Height (ft)

High

Flow Condition

Normal

Flood Status

Historical Percentile Comparison

Today's discharge compared to the long-term record for June 11 at this station. Percentile rank shows what fraction of historical years had lower flow on this date.

Percentile	Label	CFS Threshold	Today's Flow
10th	Very Low threshold	709
25th	Low threshold	1,400
50th (Median)	Normal (median)	2,490
75th	High threshold	7,490
95th	Very High threshold	21,800	Today: 8,510 cfs

30-Day Hydrograph

Recent discharge plotted against the historical 10th–95th percentile envelope for the same calendar days. Source: USGS daily values + long-term statistics.

10th–95th historical Day-of-year median Recent discharge

30-Day Flow History

Date	Discharge (CFS)	Gage Ht (ft)
May 28, 2026	11,400	9.99
May 27, 2026	13,300	10.33
May 26, 2026	9,630	9.57
May 25, 2026	7,890	9.23
May 24, 2026	7,680	9.16
May 23, 2026	4,150	8.29
May 22, 2026	2,100	7.55
May 21, 2026	989	7.19
May 20, 2026	541	6.95
May 19, 2026	508	6.93
May 18, 2026	754	7.07
May 17, 2026	815	7.10
May 16, 2026	904	7.14
May 15, 2026	977	7.18
Apr 21, 2026	1,280	7.32
Apr 20, 2026	1,370	7.36
Apr 19, 2026	1,490	7.41
Apr 18, 2026	1,630	7.47
Apr 17, 2026	1,760	7.52
Apr 16, 2026	1,960	7.59
Apr 15, 2026	2,130	7.66
Apr 14, 2026	2,250	7.70
Apr 13, 2026	2,410	7.76
Apr 12, 2026	2,640	7.84
Apr 11, 2026	2,930	7.93
Apr 10, 2026	3,170	8.01
Apr 9, 2026	3,020	7.96
Apr 8, 2026	2,550	7.81
Apr 7, 2026	2,380	7.75
Apr 6, 2026	2,470	7.78

Station Information

USGS Site No: 03287500
State: KY
County: Franklin County
Coordinates: 38.2113, -84.8741
Drainage Area: 5,411 mi²
Datum (ft): 461.6
HUC Code: 05100205

View on USGS NWIS →

Flood Stage Thresholds

Action Stage: 29.0 ft
Flood Stage: 31.0 ft
Moderate Flood: 35.0 ft
Major Flood: 40.0 ft

Currently 21.63 ft below flood stage.

Recent Extremes

Max discharge: 48,900 cfs

May 19, 2025
Min discharge: 326 cfs

Sep 21, 2025
Days at flood stage: 0

Computed from the local daily-values archive.

Nearby Gauges

Elkhorn Creek Near Frankfort, KY
5.1 mi · 1,390 cfs

High
Kentucky River at Lock 5 Near Tyrone, KY
11.2 mi · 8,220 cfs

High
South Elkhorn Creek Near Midway, KY
13.4 mi · 184 cfs

Normal
Kentucky River at Lock 3 at Gest, KY
14.2 mi · 11,000 cfs

Very High
Kentucky River at Lock 2 at Lockport, KY
16.5 mi · 11,400 cfs

High