Several Kentucky rivers approach record heights after days of heavy rain, flooding
Heavy and prolonged rainfall over the past week flooded rivers across Kentucky, including several that will approach their highest levels on record.
And while the rain finally stopped Sunday, some of those rivers aren’t expected to crest or drop below major flooding levels until later this week.
The National Weather Service defines major flooding as “extensive inundation of structures and roads. Significant evacuations of people and/or transfer of property to higher elevations.”
Here are the Kentucky rivers reporting major flooding Monday morning, and how their projected crests rank among their all-time highs.
Kentucky River at Lockport
The Kentucky River at Lockport crossed into the major flooding threshold at 2 a.m. Sunday and sits at 52.9 feet Monday morning, according to NWS.
The river is projected to crest at 53.8 feet Monday evening before slowly receding out of the major flooding threshold Wednesday afternoon.
That mark would be the second-highest crest on record, behind a reading of 56.85 feet in 1937.
Kentucky River at Frankfort Lock
The Kentucky River at Frankfort Lock crossed into the major flooding threshold at 12:45 p.m. Saturday and sits at 48.21 feet Monday morning.
The river was projected to start receding early Monday and fall below the major flooding threshold Tuesday evening.
The projected crest would fall just a few inches shy of the gauge’s record of 48.47 feet set in 1937.
Kentucky River at High Bridge Lock
The Kentucky River at High Bridge Lock crossed into the major flooding threshold at 10:15 a.m. Saturday and sits at 46.15 feet Monday morning.
The river crested at 47.13 feet Sunday morning and is projected to drop out of the major flooding threshold on Tuesday morning.
The river reached its third-highest point on record, behind a crest of 53.1 feet in 1978 and 52.9 feet in 1972.
Kentucky River at Camp Nelson
The Kentucky River at Camp Nelson crossed into the major flooding threshold at 12:45 p.m. Saturday and sits at 45.25 feet Monday morning.
The river has slightly receded since cresting at 47.04 feet at 3:15 p.m. Sunday. It’s projected to drop below the major flooding threshold early Tuesday.
That crest was the highest on record, surpassing the previous high of 46.02 feet in 2010.
The river has surpassed 40 feet only five other times in history.
Rolling Fork River near Boston
The Rolling Fork River near Boston crossed into the major flooding threshold at 10:15 p.m. Friday and sits near its crest of 52.61 feet Monday morning.
The river will slowly taper off this week, finally dropping below the major threshold early Thursday.
The crest is the fourth-highest in the gauge’s history. The highest was 55.2 feet in 1937.
Green River above Woodbury
The Green River above Woodbury crossed into the major flooding threshold at 12:15 p.m. Saturday and sits at 45.11 feet Monday morning.
The river has been near that point — its projected crest — since about 7:15 p.m. Sunday. It’s projected to slowly recede over the next few days before dropping out of the major flooding threshold Wednesday afternoon.
The river’s crest would rank fifth in its history. The record was 52.67 feet in 1937.
Green River at Rochester
The Green River at Rochester crossed into the major flooding threshold at 6:15 p.m. Sunday and sits at 51.33 feet Monday morning.
The river is projected to crest at 52.40 feet Tuesday evening and remain above the major flooding threshold until late Friday.
That crest — and the river’s current level — is the third-highest recorded in Rochester. The highest reading was 61.6 feet in 1937.
Green River at Paradise
The Green River at Paradise crossed into the major flooding threshold at 10 p.m. Sunday and sits at 401.11 feet Monday morning.
It’s expected to crest early Tuesday at 401.9 feet before slowly receding below the major flooding threshold Thursday afternoon.
That crest — and the river’s current level — is the third-highest recorded in Paradise. The highest recorded height was 403.65 feet in 1962.
Mississippi River at Hickman
The Mississippi River at Hickman isn’t in the major flooding threshold yet, but it’s projected to cross that boundary around 2 p.m. Monday and stay there until at least April 21, according to the NWS.
The river is projected to crest at 46.50 feet Thursday morning, which would rank second on the gauge’s all-time recorded crests list.
The highest was 54.29 feet in 2011.
This story was originally published April 7, 2025 at 8:36 AM.
