Search
Menu

Explore

Hazards

Analysis

Rankings

Reference

Cumberland River at Barbourville

Highest listed crest 45.91 ftFlood stage 27.0 ft107 crests since 1949

The Cumberland River at Barbourville crested at major flood stage 15 times among the 107 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1949 to 2025. The highest, 45.91 ft on April 6, 1977, was major flooding, 18.91 feet above flood stage. 3 other gauges on the Cumberland River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 3 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
45.91 ft
April 6, 1977; 56,100 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
27.0 ft
Major flooding from 38.0 ft
Crests at major
15
4th of 72 gauges in Kentucky
Most recent flood crest
February 17, 2025
38.07 ft, major flooding
Location
Knox County
Kentucky

Flood stages

The thresholds the National Weather Service uses for this gauge today, and how many listed crests reached each.

Flood categories, Cumberland River at Barbourville
Action stage21.55Sep 18, 2004The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)27.063Mar 2, 2021Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage33.024Mar 29, 2021Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage38.015Feb 17, 2025Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

107 crests from 1949 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Cumberland River at Barbourville, 1949 to 2025 20304050ft Flood stage 27.0 ftMajor 38.0 ft Jan 6, 1949: 30.10 ft, minor flooding; 24,000 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1949: 28.80 ft, minor floodingDec 14, 1949: 27.20 ft, minor flooding; 20,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 2, 1950: 37.34 ft, moderate flooding; 34,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 2, 1951: 40.25 ft, major flooding; 45,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 1951: 29.10 ft, minor flooding; 22,000 cubic feet per secondDec 16, 1951: 32.00 ft, minor floodingDec 21, 1951: 28.00 ft, minor flooding; 20,800 cubic feet per secondJan 23, 1952: 28.50 ft, minor flooding; 20,400 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 1952: 36.00 ft, moderate flooding; 32,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 1953: 27.48 ft, minor flooding; 19,300 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 1953: 29.61 ft, minor flooding; 21,200 cubic feet per secondJan 16, 1954: 28.39 ft, minor flooding; 20,200 cubic feet per secondDec 30, 1954: 29.60 ft, minor flooding; 22,000 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 1955: 32.57 ft, minor floodingMar 22, 1955: 34.64 ft, moderate flooding; 29,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 19, 1956: 35.81 ft, moderate flooding; 28,500 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1956: 29.81 ft, minor floodingApr 17, 1956: 32.24 ft, minor floodingJan 30, 1957: 42.15 ft, major flooding; 43,000 cubic feet per secondDec 9, 1957: 31.52 ft, minor floodingMay 8, 1958: 33.45 ft, moderate flooding; 25,300 cubic feet per secondJan 22, 1959: 35.50 ft, moderate flooding; 30,300 cubic feet per secondFeb 26, 1961: 29.07 ft, minor flooding; 20,500 cubic feet per secondMar 1, 1962: 36.39 ft, moderate flooding; 29,600 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 1963: 34.10 ft, moderate flooding; 27,600 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1963: 41.43 ft, major flooding; 45,600 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 1963: 36.75 ft, moderate flooding; 32,100 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1964: 24.20 ft, action stage; 15,100 cubic feet per secondJan 11, 1965: 29.08 ft, minor flooding; 20,500 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 1965: 34.25 ft, moderate flooding; 28,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 14, 1966: 28.30 ft, minor flooding; 20,300 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 1967: 38.22 ft, major flooding; 36,600 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1968: 29.09 ft, minor flooding; 19,700 cubic feet per secondJan 1, 1970: 42.30 ft, major flooding; 48,800 cubic feet per secondFeb 16, 1970: 30.00 ft, minor flooding; 20,700 cubic feet per secondApr 29, 1970: 35.80 ft, moderate flooding; 30,500 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 1971: 32.40 ft, minor flooding; 25,200 cubic feet per secondMay 14, 1971: 32.86 ft, minor floodingJan 22, 1972: 28.10 ft, minor floodingFeb 25, 1972: 29.28 ft, minor flooding; 20,100 cubic feet per secondDec 11, 1972: 38.04 ft, major flooding; 33,700 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 1973: 39.31 ft, major flooding; 37,800 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 1973: 35.63 ft, moderate floodingNov 29, 1973: 42.65 ft, major flooding; 49,500 cubic feet per secondDec 27, 1973: 32.25 ft, minor flooding; 25,300 cubic feet per secondJan 12, 1974: 38.26 ft, major flooding; 35,700 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1974: 30.22 ft, minor flooding; 22,600 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 1975: 41.60 ft, major flooding; 46,900 cubic feet per secondMar 25, 1975: 27.50 ft, minor flooding; 18,900 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1975: 31.40 ft, minor flooding; 23,200 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1976: 32.43 ft, minor floodingApr 6, 1977: 45.91 ft, major flooding; 56,100 cubic feet per secondNov 7, 1977: 29.40 ft, minor flooding; 21,700 cubic feet per secondDec 10, 1978: 31.26 ft, minor flooding; 23,500 cubic feet per secondJan 22, 1979: 32.57 ft, minor floodingFeb 26, 1979: 30.71 ft, minor flooding; 22,000 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 1980: 33.92 ft, moderate flooding; 27,300 cubic feet per secondApr 21, 1981: 24.27 ft, action stage; 14,300 cubic feet per secondJan 5, 1982: 33.80 ft, moderate floodingMay 17, 1983: 25.88 ft, action stage; 16,200 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 1984: 40.83 ft, major flooding; 42,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 19, 1986: 29.24 ft, minor flooding; 23,200 cubic feet per secondJan 20, 1988: 24.52 ft, action stage; 17,100 cubic feet per secondJan 13, 1989: 27.17 ft, minor flooding; 20,100 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 1989: 34.09 ft, moderate flooding; 31,000 cubic feet per secondDec 24, 1990: 31.78 ft, minor floodingFeb 20, 1991: 33.68 ft, moderate flooding; 27,700 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1991: 30.39 ft, minor flooding; 23,900 cubic feet per secondDec 4, 1991: 35.15 ft, moderate floodingMar 24, 1993: 32.20 ft, minor floodingFeb 12, 1994: 37.30 ft, moderate floodingMar 29, 1994: 33.80 ft, moderate floodingApr 14, 1994: 27.80 ft, minor floodingMay 15, 1995: 28.80 ft, minor floodingMar 8, 1996: 27.80 ft, minor floodingMar 4, 1997: 32.57 ft, minor floodingApr 20, 1998: 36.30 ft, moderate floodingApr 5, 2000: 28.60 ft, minor floodingFeb 17, 2001: 27.32 ft, minor floodingJan 25, 2002: 29.59 ft, minor floodingMar 21, 2002: 38.72 ft, major floodingFeb 17, 2003: 36.36 ft, moderate flooding; 35,300 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 2003: 32.89 ft, minor floodingFeb 7, 2004: 29.79 ft, minor floodingMar 7, 2004: 29.03 ft, minor floodingSep 18, 2004: 26.88 ft, action stageJan 8, 2009: 27.15 ft, minor floodingJan 26, 2010: 29.30 ft, minor flooding; 25,000 cubic feet per secondMay 4, 2010: 28.84 ft, minor flooding; 23,200 cubic feet per secondDec 1, 2010: 28.99 ft, minor floodingApr 17, 2011: 29.54 ft, minor floodingJan 17, 2013: 27.45 ft, minor floodingFeb 1, 2013: 28.91 ft, minor floodingMar 6, 2015: 35.62 ft, moderate floodingJul 15, 2015: 29.57 ft, minor floodingApr 25, 2017: 32.50 ft, minor floodingFeb 12, 2018: 37.51 ft, moderate floodingFeb 21, 2019: 30.16 ft, minor floodingFeb 25, 2019: 31.46 ft, minor floodingFeb 7, 2020: 40.01 ft, major floodingFeb 14, 2020: 27.07 ft, minor floodingApr 14, 2020: 29.88 ft, minor floodingMay 20, 2020: 28.77 ft, minor floodingMar 2, 2021: 30.29 ft, minor floodingMar 29, 2021: 35.45 ft, moderate floodingFeb 17, 2025: 38.07 ft, major flooding; 38,242 cubic feet per second Highest, 45.91 ft, Apr 6, 1977 19501960197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Cumberland River at Barbourville 1940s: 3 1950s: 20 1960s: 10 1970s: 23 23 1980s: 6 1990s: 12 2000s: 9 2010s: 12 2020s: 7 1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  1. These are the crests the local National Weather Service office lists for the gauge: the highest on record and recent crests. Lesser floods between them may be missing, so counts by decade are a floor.
  2. Categories use today's flood stages. Levees, dams and channel changes since a crest can make old and new stages not directly comparable.
  3. 3 crests measured on an earlier gauge datum are left out: 39.20 ft on Mar 1, 1929; 38.50 ft on Feb 1, 1939; 42.80 ft on Jan 1, 1946.

Highest crests

The 50 highest of 107 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Cumberland River at Barbourville
1Apr 6, 197745.91+18.91Major56,100
2Nov 29, 197342.65+15.65Major49,500
3Jan 1, 197042.30+15.30Major48,800
4Jan 30, 195742.15+15.15Major43,000
5Mar 14, 197541.60+14.60Major46,900
6Mar 13, 196341.43+14.43Major45,600
7May 8, 198440.83+13.83Major42,900
8Feb 2, 195140.25+13.25Major45,900
9Feb 7, 202040.01+13.01Major—
10Mar 17, 197339.31+12.31Major37,800
11Mar 21, 200238.72+11.72Major—
12Jan 12, 197438.26+11.26Major35,700
13Mar 7, 196738.22+11.22Major36,600
14Feb 17, 202538.07+11.07Major38,242
15Dec 11, 197238.04+11.04Major33,700
16Feb 12, 201837.51+10.51Moderate—
17Feb 2, 195037.34+10.34Moderate34,000
18Feb 12, 199437.30+10.30Moderate—
19Mar 18, 196336.75+9.75Moderate32,100
20Mar 1, 196236.39+9.39Moderate29,600
21Feb 17, 200336.36+9.36Moderate35,300
22Apr 20, 199836.30+9.30Moderate—
23Mar 23, 195236.00+9.00Moderate32,700
24Feb 19, 195635.81+8.81Moderate28,500
25Apr 29, 197035.80+8.80Moderate30,500
26May 29, 197335.63+8.63Moderate—
27Mar 6, 201535.62+8.62Moderate—
28Jan 22, 195935.50+8.50Moderate30,300
29Mar 29, 202135.45+8.45Moderate—
30Dec 4, 199135.15+8.15Moderate—
31Mar 22, 195534.64+7.64Moderate29,100
32Mar 26, 196534.25+7.25Moderate28,100
33Mar 7, 196334.10+7.10Moderate27,600
34Jun 16, 198934.09+7.09Moderate31,000
35Mar 21, 198033.92+6.92Moderate27,300
36Jan 5, 198233.80+6.80Moderate—
37Mar 29, 199433.80+6.80Moderate—
38Feb 20, 199133.68+6.68Moderate27,700
39May 8, 195833.45+6.45Moderate25,300
40Apr 11, 200332.89+5.89Minor—
41May 14, 197132.86+5.86Minor—
42Mar 17, 195532.57+5.57Minor—
43Jan 22, 197932.57+5.57Minor—
44Mar 4, 199732.57+5.57Minor—
45Apr 25, 201732.50+5.50Minor—
46Mar 31, 197632.43+5.43Minor—
47May 8, 197132.40+5.40Minor25,200
48Dec 27, 197332.25+5.25Minor25,300
49Apr 17, 195632.24+5.24Minor—
50Mar 24, 199332.20+5.20Minor—

The worst floods along the Cumberland River

For this gauge's highest crests, the other gauges on the Cumberland River that crested above flood stage within a week.

April 6, 1977: 45.91 ft here, major flooding

  • PinevilleKY · Apr 5, 1977 · 1,021.80 ft · Major · its highest
  • WilliamsburgKY · Apr 7, 1977 · 35.03 ft · Major · its highest
  • BaxterKY · Apr 4, 1977 · 34.20 ft · Major · its highest

November 29, 1973: 42.65 ft here, major flooding

  • BaxterKY · Nov 28, 1973 · 22.00 ft · Major
  • WilliamsburgKY · Nov 30, 1973 · 31.13 ft · Moderate

January 1, 1970: 42.30 ft here, major flooding

  • BaxterKY · Dec 31, 1969 · 28.50 ft · Major
  • WilliamsburgKY · Jan 2, 1970 · 29.42 ft · Moderate

Gauges on the Cumberland River

Flood gauges sharing the river's name, linked within 80 miles of one another.

Flood gauges on the Cumberland River
Ashland CityTN28.028.66 ft, Feb 24, 20190
Barbourville this gaugeKY27.045.91 ft, Apr 6, 197715
BaxterKY16.034.20 ft, Apr 4, 197717
BurkesvilleKY46.056.60 ft, Feb 28, 20190
CarthageTN40.059.80 ft, Dec 30, 19268
CelinaTN40.059.20 ft, Mar 1, 182610
ClarksvilleTN46.062.58 ft, May 4, 20105
DoverTN66.074.17 ft, May 5, 20102
EdenwoldTN49.050.70 ft, Feb 24, 20190
Hunters PointTN52.053.66 ft, Mar 6, 19890
NashvilleTN40.056.20 ft, Jan 1, 192722
OmohundroTN41.044.69 ft, Feb 24, 20190
PinevilleKY1,002.01,021.80 ft, Apr 5, 19772
WilliamsburgKY21.035.03 ft, Apr 7, 19774
HermitageTN48.049.11 ft, Feb 24, 20190
Penington BendTN47.048.83 ft, Feb 24, 20190

Knox County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Kentucky

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge BBVK2, retrieved October 30, 2026. Stages in feet on the gauge's own datum, not elevation. Crests are as the National Weather Service lists them; preliminary values may be revised.