Licking River at McKinneysburg, KY
River level and flood forecast · Pendleton County
Normal4.3 ftas of Mon 4:45 PM
The river is 30.7 ft below flood stage (35 ft).
Flow: 144 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 | 50 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 42 ft |
| Flood stage | 35 ft |
| Action stage | 32 ft |
| Record crest (March 2, 1997) | 55.21 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 55 ftThis equates to the flood of record, which occurred on March 1, 1997. Widespread major flooding occurs, with numerous homes along the river inundated.
- 52 ftThis stage is roughly equal to the FEMA 1 percent flood in southeast Pendleton County. Backwater flooding affects Willow Creek...including flooding along Galloway Road which inundate farm buildings and potentially some farm houses.
- 48 ftMuch of the basin in southern Pendleton County is inundated, including homes in the valley along McKinneysburg Spur and Colvin Bend Roads.
- 42 ftModerate flooding occurs with flooding in the McKinneysburg area worsening. Low areas along McKinneysburg Road and Colvin Bend Road receive the most flooding in southern Pendleton County, with some mobile homes and farm outbuildings flooded along the McKinneysburg Spur.
- 40 ftLowland flooding continues in southern Pendleton County, especially along McKinneysburg Road and in the Colvin Bend Road area. Water approaches some mobile homes and agricultural outbuildings along the river.
- 35 ftLowland flooding in southern Pendleton County, especially along McKinneysburg Road and in the Colvin Bend Road area, where high water makes the road impassible. Access to some homes near Colvin Bend Road and McKinneysburg Spur is cut off.
- 33 ftSome flooding occurs along the river in southern Pendleton County and is mainly confined to lowland and agricultural areas. Water approaches Colvin Bend Road and McKinneysburg Spur.
Highest crests on record
- 55.21 ft — March 2, 1997
- 50.26 ft — March 10, 1964
- 47.8 ft — January 20, 1937
- 47.59 ft — April 13, 1948
- 43.76 ft — April 6, 2025
Recent crests: 43.76 ft (April 6, 2025) · 37.07 ft (February 17, 2025) · 38.36 ft (May 20, 2020) · 28.47 ft (November 6, 2018) · 33.95 ft (September 25, 2018)
Up and down the river, and nearby
- UpstreamLicking River at Blue Licks Spring, KY
- South Fork Licking River at Hayes, KY
- Licking River at Catawba, KY
- North Fork Licking River near Mount Olivet, KY
- South Fork Licking River at Cynthiana, KY
- Eagle Creek (KY) near Sadieville, KY
- Licking River above Visalia, KY
- Twelvemile Creek near Alexandria, KY
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (MKBK2); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.