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South Fork Kentucky River at Oneida

Highest listed crest 40.43 ftFlood stage 29.0 ft21 crests since 1947

The South Fork Kentucky River at Oneida crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 21 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1947 to 2025. The highest, 40.43 ft on June 28, 1947, was major flooding, 11.43 feet above flood stage. 1 other gauge on the South Fork Kentucky River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
40.43 ft
June 28, 1947
Flood stage
29.0 ft
Major flooding from 38.0 ft
Crests at major
2
46th of 72 gauges in Kentucky
Most recent flood crest
February 16, 2025
34.30 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Clay County
Kentucky
Identifiers
NWS ODAK2
No USGS station

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 Oneida
Action stage18.05May 20, 1981The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)29.012Feb 6, 2004Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage34.02Feb 16, 2025Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage38.02Jan 29, 1957Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

21 crests from 1947 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 Oneida, 1947 to 2025 202530354045ft Flood stage 29.0 ftMajor 38.0 ft Jun 28, 1947: 40.43 ft, major floodingJan 29, 1957: 40.19 ft, major flooding; 53,400 cubic feet per secondMay 6, 1958: 27.00 ft, action stageJun 24, 1960: 27.05 ft, action stageFeb 28, 1962: 33.88 ft, minor flooding; 36,000 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1963: 36.89 ft, moderate flooding; 43,800 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 1967: 31.76 ft, minor flooding; 31,400 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 1969: 29.00 ft, minor floodingApr 28, 1970: 32.72 ft, minor flooding; 33,500 cubic feet per secondMay 7, 1971: 27.16 ft, action stageApr 12, 1972: 30.03 ft, minor flooding; 27,600 cubic feet per secondJan 11, 1974: 28.35 ft, action stage; 23,800 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1975: 32.63 ft, minor flooding; 33,300 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1977: 32.46 ft, minor flooding; 32,900 cubic feet per secondDec 9, 1978: 29.36 ft, minor flooding; 26,100 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 1981: 22.00 ft, action stageJun 16, 1989: 32.00 ft, minor floodingOct 17, 1989: 32.60 ft, minor floodingApr 17, 1998: 31.00 ft, minor floodingFeb 6, 2004: 29.60 ft, minor flooding; 26,510 cubic feet per secondFeb 16, 2025: 34.30 ft, moderate flooding; 37,956 cubic feet per second Highest, 40.43 ft, Jun 28, 1947 19501960197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, South Fork Kentucky River at Oneida 1940s: 1 1950s: 1 1960s: 4 1970s: 5 5 1980s: 2 1990s: 1 2000s: 1 2010s: 0 2020s: 1 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.

Highest crests

Highest listed crests, South Fork Kentucky River at Oneida
1Jun 28, 194740.43+11.43Major—
2Jan 29, 195740.19+11.19Major53,400
3Mar 12, 196336.89+7.89Moderate43,800
4Feb 16, 202534.30+5.30Moderate37,956
5Feb 28, 196233.88+4.88Minor36,000
6Apr 28, 197032.72+3.72Minor33,500
7Mar 13, 197532.63+3.63Minor33,300
8Oct 17, 198932.60+3.60Minor—
9Apr 5, 197732.46+3.46Minor32,900
10Jun 16, 198932.00+3.00Minor—
11Mar 7, 196731.76+2.76Minor31,400
12Apr 17, 199831.00+2.00Minor—
13Apr 12, 197230.03+1.03Minor27,600
14Feb 6, 200429.60+0.60Minor26,510
15Dec 9, 197829.36+0.36Minor26,100
16Dec 31, 196929.000.00Minor—
17Jan 11, 197428.35−0.65Action23,800
18May 7, 197127.16−1.84Action—
19Jun 24, 196027.05−1.95Action—
20May 6, 195827.00−2.00Action—
21May 20, 198122.00−7.00Action—

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.

June 28, 1947: 40.43 ft here, major flooding

January 29, 1957: 40.19 ft here, major flooding

March 12, 1963: 36.89 ft here, moderate flooding

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
BoonevilleKY27.044.33 ft, Mar 1, 202113
Oneida this gaugeKY29.040.43 ft, Jun 28, 19472

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge ODAK2, 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.