Elkhorn Creek level at Frankfort
Kentucky · Paddling & whitewater
Measured at USGS 03289500 — ELKHORN CREEK NEAR FRANKFORT, KY · NWS forecast point PKMK2
Reading taken · as of 48 min ago
Very high — big-water conditions well above the seasonal norm
At 229 CFS, this gauge is running 388% of normal for mid-September — above the 59 CFS median USGS has recorded for this date across 85 years of record (1916–2026).
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Flood stages at Frankfort
National Weather Service categories for gauge PKMK2, WFO LMK. Impact wording is the NWS's own, verbatim.
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Major flood 14.0 ft
- 14.0 ft Jones Lane floods. Water approaches Georgetown Road (US 460).
- 15.0 ft Georgetown Road (US 460) floods in village of Forks of Elkhorn.
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Moderate flood 12.0 ft
- 12.0 ft North Scruggs Lane floods near Elkhorn Campground. Portions of Peaks Mill Road flood near Sullivan Lane and Saufley Bottom.
- 13.0 ft Switzer (County 1689) and Indian Gap Roads flood. Goshen Road floods at back entrance to Two Creeks subdivision.
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Minor flood 10.0 ft
- 10.0 ft Stillhouse Hollow Road floods.
- 11.0 ft Schoolhouse Road floods.
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Action 8.0 ft
- Right now 2.75 ft
NWS forecast: 4.10 ft by .
Flow history at Frankfort
Daily values from USGS 03289500, updated every 15 to 60 minutes; NWS forecast for PKMK2 reissued through the day. Provisional.
Highest crests on record at Frankfort
12 on record
| Stage | Flow | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 17.96 ft | 35,900 CFS | Mar 4, 1997 |
| 17.50 ft | 31,000 CFS | Sep 2, 1932 |
| 17.20 ft | 30,000 CFS | Jan 1, 1937 |
| 15.75 ft | 26,200 CFS | Apr 4, 2015 |
| 15.26 ft | 28,700 CFS | Feb 16, 1989 |
| 14.99 ft | 23,300 CFS | Apr 5, 2025 |
| 14.69 ft | 22,100 CFS | May 3, 2010 |
| 14.50 ft | 22,400 CFS | Apr 14, 1948 |
| 14.35 ft | 23,200 CFS | Mar 5, 1964 |
| 14.32 ft | 20,800 CFS | Apr 5, 2008 |
Crests published by the National Weather Service.
About Elkhorn Creek at Frankfort
In Kentucky — the reading paddlers, anglers and outfitters here check before committing to a shuttle. Canoe Kentucky's flagship run; best smallmouth creek in KY.
Elkhorn Creek at Frankfort — common questions
3 questions
How fast can Elkhorn Creek at Frankfort come up?
Fast. It is free-flowing, so rain upstream moves it directly. Several feet in a few hours is normal after a heavy storm.
Is Elkhorn Creek at Frankfort high or low for this time of year?
The USGS median flow for mid-September here is 59 CFS, from 85 years of record (1916–2026). Today is 388% of it. The comparison is what makes the raw number mean anything: the same reading is a drought on one river and a flood on another.
How often does this reading update?
USGS transmits from gauge 03289500 every 15 to 60 minutes, and the National Weather Service reissues the flood forecast for PKMK2 a few times a day — more often when the river is rising. This page refreshes from both when you open it. The timestamp is in the gauge's local time.