USGS Water-Year Summary for Site 03287500

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Water year 2023: 2022-10-01 to 2023-09-30

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USGS Water-Year Summary 2023

03287500 KENTUCKY RIVER AT LOCK 4 AT FRANKFORT, KY

LOCATION - Lat 38°12'06", long 84°52'54" referenced to North American Datum of 1927, Franklin County, KY, Hydrologic Unit 05100205, on left bank at downstream side of Broadway Street Bridge at Frankfort, 300 feet upstream from Benson Creek, 0.8 miles upstream from Lock 4, and at mile 65.8. Records include flow of Benson Creek. Auxiliary gage: Kentucky River at Lock 5 near Lawrenceburg lower gage and at mile 82.2.

DRAINAGE AREA - 5,411 mi² of which 119 mi² probably is noncontributing. (includes flow from Benson Creek).

REVISIONS HISTORY - WSP 1113: 1941-42. WSP 1385: 1926-27, 1929(M). 1932-33, 1935-37, 1938(M), drainage area. WSP 1555: 1932(M). WRD-KY-08-1.

SURFACE-WATER RECORDS

PERIOD OF RECORD - March 1905 to July 1906 (gage-heights only), October 1925 to current year. Monthly discharge only October 1930 to February 1931, October, November 1931, and May to September 1932, published in WSP 1305. Gage-height record collected in this vicinity September 1887 to December 1889. January to May 1893, and since April 1901 are contained in reports of the National Weather Service.

GAGE - Fixed weir dam with water-stage recorder/telemetry, full range of staffs, and crest-stage gage. Datum is 461.58 feet above NAVD of 1988 and 462.10 ft above NGVD of 1929. Prior to December 27, 1939, nonrecording gage at Lock 4, 0.9 miles downstream at same datum. Auxiliary water-stage recorder at Lock 5, at Tyrone, 16.3 miles upstream. Datum is 461.55 feet above NAVD of 1988 and 462.06 ft above NGVD of 1929. Prior to January 28, 1982, nonrecording gage at same site and datum.

COOPERATION - Kentucky River Authority, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville District, and the City of Frankfort.

REMARKS - Flow regulated since November 1925 by Herrington Lake (station 03286000), since December 1960 by Buckhorn Lake (station 03280800), since January 1976 by Carr Fork Lake (station 03277446), and by hydroelectric plant at Lock 7.

EXTREMES FOR PERIOD OF RECORD - Maximum gage height 48.47 ft. on December 10, 1978; maximum discharge 118000 ft³/s on December 9, 1978. Lowest daily mean discharge 71 ft³/s on September 25, 2008.

WATER-QUALITY RECORDS

PERIOD OF RECORD - Water temperature, October 2007 to current year. Specific conductance, water temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen, June 2001 to September 2006.

COOPERATION - Kentucky River Authority, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville District, and the City of Frankfort.

INSTRUMENTATION - Water temperature sensor with telemetry. From June 2001 to September 2006, 4-parameter water quality monitor.

REMARKS - 10/01/2013-09/30/2014: TEMPERATURE: Records fair.

EXTREMES FOR PERIOD OF RECORD - SPECIFIC CONDUCTANCE: Maximum recorded, 922 microsiemens, January 2, 2006; minimum recorded, 96 microsiemens. February 20, 2003. pH: Maximum recorded, 9.9 units, August 19, 2003; minimum recorded, 6.7 units, August 31, and September 1, 3-5, 2001. WATER TEMPERATURE: Maximum recorded, 33.7°C, July 6, 2012; minimum recorded, 1.8°C, January 30, 2009. DISSOLVED OXYGEN: Maximum recorded, 16.4 mg/L, December 27-28, 2005; minimum recorded, 0.2 mg/L, September 13, 2001.

EXTREMES FOR CURRENT YEAR - 10/01/2013-09/30/2014: WATER TEMPERATURE: Maximum recorded, 28.2°C, August 7, 2013; minimum recorded, 5.3°C December 31, 2012.