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South Fork Kentucky River at Booneville

Highest listed crest 44.33 ftFlood stage 27.0 ft109 crests since 1937

The South Fork Kentucky River at Booneville crested at major flood stage 13 times among the 109 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1937 to 2025. The highest, 44.33 ft on March 1, 2021, was major flooding, 17.33 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
44.33 ft
March 1, 2021; 62,700 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
27.0 ft
Major flooding from 38.0 ft
Crests at major
13
6th of 72 gauges in Kentucky
Most recent flood crest
February 17, 2025
42.76 ft, major flooding
Location
Owsley County
Kentucky

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, South Fork Kentucky River at Booneville
Action stage21.512Dec 19, 1990The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)27.061Mar 29, 2021Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage32.022Feb 7, 2020Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage38.013Feb 17, 2025Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

109 crests from 1937 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the South Fork Kentucky River at Booneville, 1937 to 2025 202530354045ft Flood stage 27.0 ftMajor 38.0 ft Jan 1, 1937: 26.20 ft, action stage; 16,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 1, 1939: 40.50 ft, major flooding; 48,100 cubic feet per secondJul 6, 1941: 25.43 ft, action stage; 16,600 cubic feet per secondDec 30, 1942: 28.56 ft, minor flooding; 22,000 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 1943: 29.74 ft, minor flooding; 23,900 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 1943: 27.03 ft, minor flooding; 19,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 18, 1944: 27.98 ft, minor flooding; 21,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 29, 1944: 27.11 ft, minor flooding; 19,800 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 1944: 28.77 ft, minor flooding; 22,300 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 1945: 27.63 ft, minor flooding; 19,300 cubic feet per secondJan 8, 1946: 38.83 ft, major flooding; 42,100 cubic feet per secondJan 3, 1947: 28.54 ft, minor flooding; 20,700 cubic feet per secondJun 29, 1947: 41.70 ft, major flooding; 50,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 14, 1948: 38.26 ft, major flooding; 40,500 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1949: 25.91 ft, action stage; 16,800 cubic feet per secondJan 7, 1950: 26.90 ft, action stage; 18,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 2, 1950: 28.86 ft, minor flooding; 21,300 cubic feet per secondFeb 2, 1951: 38.48 ft, major flooding; 41,000 cubic feet per secondDec 15, 1951: 27.82 ft, minor flooding; 19,500 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 1952: 34.14 ft, moderate flooding; 31,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 28, 1955: 30.93 ft, minor flooding; 26,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 18, 1956: 36.85 ft, moderate flooding; 39,600 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1956: 30.41 ft, minor flooding; 24,300 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1956: 28.80 ft, minor flooding; 20,600 cubic feet per secondDec 14, 1956: 29.00 ft, minor flooding; 21,000 cubic feet per secondJan 30, 1957: 43.40 ft, major flooding; 66,100 cubic feet per secondApr 28, 1958: 27.29 ft, minor flooding; 18,100 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 1958: 30.65 ft, minor flooding; 23,800 cubic feet per secondJan 22, 1959: 27.78 ft, minor flooding; 18,900 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 1960: 30.75 ft, minor flooding; 24,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 28, 1962: 40.74 ft, major flooding; 54,700 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 1962: 28.06 ft, minor flooding; 19,200 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1963: 39.85 ft, major flooding; 48,800 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 1963: 28.68 ft, minor flooding; 20,400 cubic feet per secondMar 27, 1965: 29.58 ft, minor flooding; 21,900 cubic feet per secondDec 29, 1966: 26.88 ft, action stage; 17,000 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 1967: 36.10 ft, moderate flooding; 35,400 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 1967: 26.78 ft, action stage; 16,800 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1968: 30.40 ft, minor flooding; 23,300 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 1969: 33.68 ft, moderate flooding; 29,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 16, 1970: 30.16 ft, minor flooding; 22,800 cubic feet per secondApr 29, 1970: 36.93 ft, moderate flooding; 37,400 cubic feet per secondJan 5, 1971: 26.67 ft, action stage; 16,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 6, 1971: 26.60 ft, action stage; 16,600 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 1971: 30.83 ft, minor flooding; 24,200 cubic feet per secondJan 29, 1972: 26.65 ft, action stage; 16,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 26, 1972: 31.01 ft, minor flooding; 24,500 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 1972: 34.28 ft, moderate flooding; 31,200 cubic feet per secondDec 11, 1972: 31.47 ft, minor flooding; 25,400 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 1973: 28.55 ft, minor flooding; 19,600 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 1973: 29.21 ft, minor flooding; 20,900 cubic feet per secondNov 28, 1973: 33.70 ft, moderate flooding; 30,000 cubic feet per secondJan 11, 1974: 36.84 ft, moderate flooding; 37,200 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 1975: 40.36 ft, major flooding; 47,600 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 1975: 27.22 ft, minor flooding; 17,400 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 1976: 27.10 ft, minor flooding; 17,200 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1977: 37.75 ft, moderate flooding; 39,400 cubic feet per secondJan 26, 1978: 33.28 ft, moderate flooding; 29,100 cubic feet per secondDec 9, 1978: 36.91 ft, moderate flooding; 37,400 cubic feet per secondJan 21, 1979: 31.75 ft, minor flooding; 26,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 26, 1979: 29.43 ft, minor flooding; 21,400 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 1981: 32.51 ft, moderate flooding; 27,200 cubic feet per secondJan 4, 1982: 26.60 ft, action stage; 17,100 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 1983: 31.41 ft, minor flooding; 24,900 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 1984: 41.12 ft, major flooding; 51,600 cubic feet per secondNov 9, 1986: 25.48 ft, action stage; 15,900 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 1989: 32.54 ft, moderate flooding; 26,200 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 1989: 31.80 ft, minor flooding; 25,700 cubic feet per secondOct 18, 1989: 34.28 ft, moderate flooding; 30,200 cubic feet per secondDec 19, 1990: 26.77 ft, action stage; 17,100 cubic feet per secondDec 24, 1990: 30.73 ft, minor flooding; 22,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 20, 1991: 28.64 ft, minor flooding; 19,900 cubic feet per secondDec 3, 1991: 32.38 ft, moderate flooding; 25,900 cubic feet per secondDec 6, 1993: 27.82 ft, minor flooding; 18,300 cubic feet per secondJan 8, 1994: 28.75 ft, minor flooding; 19,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 24, 1994: 28.05 ft, minor flooding; 18,600 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1994: 32.99 ft, moderate flooding; 27,200 cubic feet per secondMay 19, 1995: 27.07 ft, minor flooding; 17,500 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1997: 30.59 ft, minor floodingApr 18, 1998: 32.00 ft, moderate floodingJan 10, 1999: 27.70 ft, minor floodingApr 5, 2000: 20.65 ft, below flood stage; 11,800 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 2002: 29.97 ft, minor floodingMay 3, 2002: 27.75 ft, minor floodingFeb 17, 2003: 38.63 ft, major flooding; 34,500 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 2003: 28.29 ft, minor flooding; 19,100 cubic feet per secondJan 3, 2004: 28.64 ft, minor floodingFeb 7, 2004: 35.67 ft, moderate flooding; 33,271 cubic feet per secondMay 28, 2004: 30.11 ft, minor flooding; 22,014 cubic feet per secondSep 18, 2004: 28.80 ft, minor flooding; 20,179 cubic feet per secondDec 1, 2004: 27.59 ft, minor flooding; 18,619 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 2005: 29.52 ft, minor floodingMay 5, 2009: 32.52 ft, moderate flooding; 24,800 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 2009: 28.01 ft, minor flooding; 18,700 cubic feet per secondJan 26, 2010: 31.43 ft, minor flooding; 23,200 cubic feet per secondMay 3, 2010: 28.91 ft, minor flooding; 19,800 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 2013: 29.28 ft, minor flooding; 20,844 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 2015: 33.11 ft, moderate flooding; 27,430 cubic feet per secondJul 16, 2015: 30.76 ft, minor flooding; 23,122 cubic feet per secondFeb 17, 2016: 29.72 ft, minor flooding; 21,462 cubic feet per secondFeb 24, 2019: 32.09 ft, moderate flooding; 25,425 cubic feet per secondDec 17, 2019: 31.31 ft, minor flooding; 21,600 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 2019: 29.05 ft, minor flooding; 18,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 7, 2020: 32.09 ft, moderate flooding; 25,425 cubic feet per secondFeb 14, 2020: 27.33 ft, minor flooding; 18,323 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 2020: 28.39 ft, minor flooding; 17,700 cubic feet per secondMar 1, 2021: 44.33 ft, major flooding; 62,700 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 2021: 31.18 ft, minor flooding; 20,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 17, 2025: 42.76 ft, major flooding; 56,369 cubic feet per second Highest, 44.33 ft, Mar 1, 2021 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, South Fork Kentucky River at Booneville 1930s: 1 1940s: 11 1950s: 13 1960s: 9 1970s: 18 18 1980s: 6 1990s: 11 2000s: 12 2010s: 9 2020s: 6 1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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: 29.50 ft on Jan 22, 1926; 37.00 ft on Dec 22, 1926; 39.30 ft on Mar 23, 1929.

Highest crests

The 50 highest of 109 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, South Fork Kentucky River at Booneville
1Mar 1, 202144.33+17.33Major62,700
2Jan 30, 195743.40+16.40Major66,100
3Feb 17, 202542.76+15.76Major56,369
4Jun 29, 194741.70+14.70Major50,700
5May 8, 198441.12+14.12Major51,600
6Feb 28, 196240.74+13.74Major54,700
7Feb 1, 193940.50+13.50Major48,100
8Mar 14, 197540.36+13.36Major47,600
9Mar 13, 196339.85+12.85Major48,800
10Jan 8, 194638.83+11.83Major42,100
11Feb 17, 200338.63+11.63Major34,500
12Feb 2, 195138.48+11.48Major41,000
13Feb 14, 194838.26+11.26Major40,500
14Apr 5, 197737.75+10.75Moderate39,400
15Apr 29, 197036.93+9.93Moderate37,400
16Dec 9, 197836.91+9.91Moderate37,400
17Feb 18, 195636.85+9.85Moderate39,600
18Jan 11, 197436.84+9.84Moderate37,200
19Mar 7, 196736.10+9.10Moderate35,400
20Feb 7, 200435.67+8.67Moderate33,271
21Apr 13, 197234.28+7.28Moderate31,200
22Oct 18, 198934.28+7.28Moderate30,200
23Mar 23, 195234.14+7.14Moderate31,900
24Nov 28, 197333.70+6.70Moderate30,000
25Dec 31, 196933.68+6.68Moderate29,900
26Jan 26, 197833.28+6.28Moderate29,100
27Mar 6, 201533.11+6.11Moderate27,430
28Mar 28, 199432.99+5.99Moderate27,200
29Mar 7, 198932.54+5.54Moderate26,200
30May 5, 200932.52+5.52Moderate24,800
31Jun 7, 198132.51+5.51Moderate27,200
32Dec 3, 199132.38+5.38Moderate25,900
33Feb 24, 201932.09+5.09Moderate25,425
34Feb 7, 202032.09+5.09Moderate25,425
35Apr 18, 199832.00+5.00Moderate—
36Jun 17, 198931.80+4.80Minor25,700
37Jan 21, 197931.75+4.75Minor26,000
38Dec 11, 197231.47+4.47Minor25,400
39Jan 26, 201031.43+4.43Minor23,200
40May 16, 198331.41+4.41Minor24,900
41Dec 17, 201931.31+4.31Minor21,600
42Mar 29, 202131.18+4.18Minor20,000
43Feb 26, 197231.01+4.01Minor24,500
44Feb 28, 195530.93+3.93Minor26,700
45May 8, 197130.83+3.83Minor24,200
46Jul 16, 201530.76+3.76Minor23,122
47Jun 24, 196030.75+3.75Minor24,600
48Dec 24, 199030.73+3.73Minor22,600
49May 8, 195830.65+3.65Minor23,800
50Mar 4, 199730.59+3.59Minor—

The worst floods along the South Fork Kentucky River

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

January 30, 1957: 43.40 ft here, major flooding

  • OneidaKY · Jan 29, 1957 · 40.19 ft · Major

February 17, 2025: 42.76 ft here, major flooding

  • OneidaKY · Feb 16, 2025 · 34.30 ft · Moderate

June 29, 1947: 41.70 ft here, major flooding

  • OneidaKY · Jun 28, 1947 · 40.43 ft · Major · its highest

Gauges on the South Fork Kentucky River

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

Flood gauges on the South Fork Kentucky River
Booneville this gaugeKY27.044.33 ft, Mar 1, 202113
OneidaKY29.040.43 ft, Jun 28, 19472

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge BOOK2, 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.