Red River at Clay City
Kentucky · Paddling & whitewater
Measured at USGS 03283500 — RED RIVER AT CLAY CITY, KY · NWS forecast point CYCK2
Reading taken Jul 28, 11:15 PM UTC
On the low side — bony, but runnable in a plastic boat
At 50 CFS, this gauge is running 61% of normal for late July — below the 82 CFS median USGS has recorded for this date across 86 years of record (1931–2024).
Data-derived guidance from USGS and NWS published values — not official advice, and not a safety assessment.
Sponsor Red River
Put your outfitter, guide service, cabin rental or shuttle in front of everyone checking this stretch before they drive out. One exclusive sponsor per river.
Cancel anytime · Questions?
Flood stages at Clay City
Official National Weather Service categories for gauge CYCK2, issued by WFO JKL. Impact statements are the NWS's own wording for this location, reproduced verbatim.
-
Major flood 23.0 ft
- 23.0 ft Major flooding begins. Some residences are inundated with many roads blocked.
- 24.0 ft Many homes and some businesses are flooded.
- 26.8 ft Flooding will exceed the highest flood on record.
-
Moderate flood 19.0 ft
- 19.0 ft Moderate flooding begins. Several roads are impassable in and around Clay City. Some homes are flooded in low lying areas.
-
Minor flood 17.0 ft
- 17.0 ft Low lying areas flood. Maple street near the Red River Ranch as well as Pompeii Road off of Highway 15 are impassable.
-
Action 13.0 ft
- 13.0 ft Water begins inundating Maple Street near the Red River Ranch.
- 14.0 ft Maple Street near the Red River Ranch is impassable.
- 15.0 ft Maple Street near the Red River Ranch is impassable.
- 16.0 ft Pompeii Road off of Highway 15 and Maple Street near the Red River Ranch are impassable.
- Right now 2.77 ft
NWS forecast: 2.80 ft by Jul 29, 6:00 AM UTC.
12 months of flow at Clay City
Daily values from USGS gauge 03283500. Provisional data, subject to revision.
Highest crests on record at Clay City
| Stage | Flow | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 26.75 ft | 28,800 CFS | Dec 9, 1978 |
| 25.81 ft | 18,500 CFS | Mar 1, 2021 |
| 24.08 ft | 22,000 CFS | Jun 1, 2004 |
| 23.90 ft | 22,600 CFS | Feb 28, 1962 |
| 23.36 ft | 17,400 CFS | May 3, 2010 |
| 23.27 ft | 17,176 CFS | Apr 5, 2025 |
| 23.16 ft | 19,600 CFS | Feb 17, 2003 |
| 22.80 ft | 21,100 CFS | Jun 15, 1938 |
| 22.30 ft | 19,800 CFS | Jul 6, 1939 |
| 22.03 ft | 17,300 CFS | Feb 16, 1989 |
Historical crests published by the National Weather Service for this gauge.
About Red River at Clay City
This gauge measures Red River at Clay City, Kentucky — the reading paddlers, anglers and outfitters on this stretch check before committing to a shuttle.
Red River Gorge; purely rain-dependent.
Raw CFS means little on its own, so every reading on this page is shown against the USGS median for the same calendar day — 82 CFS for late July, from 86 years of record.
Because the National Weather Service also operates a forecast point here, the page carries the official flood-category ladder and the NWS's own stage-by-stage impact statements.
Red River at Clay City — common questions
What is the current flow on Red River at Clay City?
As of the last reading on this page, Red River at Clay City was running 50 CFS at a gage height of 2.77 ft, or 61% of the USGS median for this date. The number updates automatically from USGS gauge 03283500, which reports every 15 to 60 minutes.
Is that high or low for this time of year?
The USGS median flow for late July at this gauge is 82 CFS, calculated from 86 years of record (1931–2024). Comparing today's reading against that median is the only way a raw CFS number tells you anything — 200 CFS is a drought on one river and a flood on another.
How often does this reading update?
USGS transmits from this gauge every 15 to 60 minutes. This page bakes in the most recent reading when it is rebuilt, then refreshes live from USGS when you open it. Readings are provisional and subject to revision by USGS.
What is a runnable level on this stretch?
riverlvl deliberately does not publish a runnable range. American Whitewater and the local paddling community maintain the correlations for this reach, and they are the authority. This page gives you the raw inputs — current CFS, gage height, the seasonal median, and the 12-month hydrograph — so you can apply whatever range you trust.
How fast can this gauge come up?
This is a free-flowing gauge, so it rises with rain in the basin. The 12-month chart on this page shows the shape of the past year's rises, which is the best available guide to how flashy this particular reach is.
Where does this data come from?
The flow and gage height come from USGS gauge 03283500, public-domain data from the U.S. Geological Survey. The flood categories, impact statements and forecast come from the National Weather Service's National Water Prediction Service, gauge CYCK2.