Licking River at Blue Licks Spring, KY
River level and flood forecast · Nicholas County
Normal5.1 ftas of Mon 4 PM
The river is 19.9 ft below flood stage (25 ft).
Flow: 251 cubic feet per second (USGS).
The last 7 days and the forecast
NWS forecast issued Sun, Dec 31, 7 PM. Forecasts change as rain falls and as upstream water arrives.
Flood stages
| Major flood stage | 45 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 42 ft |
| Flood stage | 25 ft |
| Action stage | 23 ft |
| Record crest (March 3, 1997) | 47.6 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 47.6 ftAll low areas in and near Blue Licks Spring are flooded.
- 45 ftWater reaches surface of old KY 68 bridge over the Licking River.
- 42 ftHomes in and near Blue Licks Spring have water in the first floor.
- 25 ftCropland flooding begins.
Highest crests on record
- 47.6 ft — March 3, 1997
- 47.4 ft — January 1, 1937
- 45 ft — April 13, 1948
- 41.4 ft — February 16, 1989
- 41.2 ft — March 10, 1964
Recent crests: 40.43 ft (April 6, 2025) · 34.41 ft (February 17, 2025) · 32.58 ft (March 1, 2021) · 26.27 ft (June 18, 2019) · 25.55 ft (February 21, 2019)
Up and down the river, and nearby
- UpstreamLicking River at Farmers, KY
- DownstreamLicking River at McKinneysburg, KY
- North Fork Licking River near Mount Olivet, KY
- Hinkston Creek near Carlisle, KY
- South Fork Licking River at Cynthiana, KY
- Stoner Creek at Paris, KY
- Ohio River at Maysville, KY
- Houston Creek (KY) at Paris, KY
- Rock Lick Creek near Sharkey, KY
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (BLSK2); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.