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North Fork Kentucky River at Whitesburg

Highest listed crest 22.03 ftFlood stage 10.0 ft5 crests since 2003

The North Fork Kentucky River at Whitesburg crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 5 crests the National Weather Service lists from 2003 to 2025. The highest, 22.03 ft on July 28, 2022, was major flooding, 12.03 feet above flood stage. 1 other gauge on the North Fork Kentucky River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
22.03 ft
July 28, 2022
Flood stage
10.0 ft
Major flooding from 14.0 ft
Crests at major
1
51st of 72 gauges in Kentucky
Most recent flood crest
February 16, 2025
12.81 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Letcher County
Kentucky

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, North Fork Kentucky River at Whitesburg
Action stage8.01Feb 16, 2003The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)10.02Mar 28, 2021Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage12.01Feb 16, 2025Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage14.01Jul 28, 2022Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

5 crests from 2003 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the North Fork Kentucky River at Whitesburg, 2003 to 2025 510152025ft Flood stage 10.0 ftMajor 14.0 ft Feb 16, 2003: 9.54 ft, action stage; 3,360 cubic feet per secondMar 1, 2021: 10.07 ft, minor flooding; 3,680 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 2021: 11.15 ft, minor flooding; 4,330 cubic feet per secondJul 28, 2022: 22.03 ft, major floodingFeb 16, 2025: 12.81 ft, moderate flooding; 5,406 cubic feet per second Highest, 22.03 ft, Jul 28, 2022 20052010201520202025

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, North Fork Kentucky River at Whitesburg 2000s: 0 2010s: 0 2020s: 4 4 2000s2010s2020s
  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. 10 crests measured on an earlier gauge datum are left out: 14.35 ft on May 1, 1927; 14.50 ft on Jul 1, 1942; 14.70 ft on Jan 29, 1957; 13.05 ft on Feb 1, 1963; 9.98 ft on Mar 6, 1967; 11.01 ft on Apr 4, 1977; and more.

Highest crests

Highest listed crests, North Fork Kentucky River at Whitesburg
1Jul 28, 202222.03+12.03Major—
2Feb 16, 202512.81+2.81Moderate5,406
3Mar 28, 202111.15+1.15Minor4,330
4Mar 1, 202110.07+0.07Minor3,680
5Feb 16, 20039.54−0.46Action3,360

The worst floods along the North Fork Kentucky River

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

July 28, 2022: 22.03 ft here, major flooding

  • JacksonKY · Jul 29, 2022 · 43.46 ft · Major · its highest

February 16, 2025: 12.81 ft here, moderate flooding

  • JacksonKY · Feb 17, 2025 · 37.69 ft · Moderate
  • HazardKY · Feb 16, 2025 · 30.52 ft · Moderate

March 28, 2021: 11.15 ft here, minor flooding

  • HazardKY · Mar 28, 2021 · 24.84 ft · Minor

Gauges on the North Fork Kentucky River

In USGS station-number order, which runs downstream within a river basin.

Flood gauges on the North Fork Kentucky River
Whitesburg this gaugeKY10.022.03 ft, Jul 28, 20221
HazardKY20.037.54 ft, Jan 29, 19574
JacksonKY29.043.46 ft, Jul 29, 20226

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge WHTK2, 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.