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Kentucky | South-Central Kentucky
Green River
Green River Lake Tailwater to Roachville Ford
Check current paddling conditions for this Green River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
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Today
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Start with the verdict, current conditions, route plan, and quick facts before you commit to the drive.
Today's conditions
Gauge
Recent trend
Checking preferred range.
Checking trend.
Gauge source
--Checking timestampMN DNR provides the current paddling level here, but not chart-ready recent samples.
Weather
Best window today
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Today by hour
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Quick facts
Plan
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Use this section once the route looks viable and you need to turn it into an actual trip plan.
Access plan
Access, shuttle, and map
Launch at the public Green River Lake Tailwater ramp and finish at Roachville Ford for the first full Upper Green split. Use the Greensburg gauge and expect a scrape-prone day whenever the river sits below KDFWR's 1.0 to 1.75 ft good band.
Put-in
Green River Lake TailwaterOpen mapKDFWR says boats are not permitted upstream of the Tailwater ramp. Launch downstream only and do not drift back toward the dam area.
Take-out
Roachville FordOpen mapThe first shoal lies about a quarter mile below the Highway 55 bridge at the launch, so treat the opening stretch as moving river rather than flat tailwater idling.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- KDFWR says boats are not permitted upstream of the Tailwater ramp. Launch downstream only and do not drift back toward the dam area.
- The first shoal lies about a quarter mile below the Highway 55 bridge at the launch, so treat the opening stretch as moving river rather than flat tailwater idling.
- Roachville Ford is a low-water gravel ford with limited roadside parking and no amenities. Lower stages can require brief carry or drag moves at the finish.
- Most shoreline between the named accesses is private and should not be treated as a casual stop or backup exit.
Watch for
- Low water below about 1.0 ft, when shoals, sticky mud, and dragging become more common.
- High water above about 1.75 ft, when current at bends and the ford landing gets less forgiving.
- Fresh wood after rain, bridge-adjacent current, and the first shoal below Highway 55.
Route gallery
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Sources
Check the data behind today's call.
Use this section when the page shows stale data, limited confidence, or a call you want to verify before driving.
Why this scoreToday's data confidence is checking
Data confidence mostly comes down to three things: how direct the gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.
- Checking data confidence notes.
- Checking data confidence cautions.
OutlookTomorrow and weekend
This is a cautious early look. If the data is too thin, we leave it out.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing
These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.
| Gauge site | Green River at Greensburg, KY |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| Discharge | Checking |
| 24h trend | Checking |
| 24h change | Checking |
| Current band | Checking |
| Rain last 24h | Checking |
| Rain last 72h | Checking |
| Air temp | Checking |
| Water temp | Checking |
| Wind | Checking |
| Gusts | Checking |
| Rain timing | Checking |
| Target band | 1.00 ft to 1.75 ft |
| Low threshold | 1.00 ft |
| High threshold | 1.75 ft |
| Data confidence behind the range | Official data source |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | KDFWR recommended river levels for Green River at Greensburg |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
NotesWhat to know before you go
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Official route segmentGreen River Lake Tailwater to Roachville Ford, 12.5 mi
KDFWR's Pool 6 Green River page still lists this exact public float at 12.5 miles.
- Official level band1.0-1.75 ft good
KDFWR rates the Green River gauge at Greensburg as Low below 1.0 ft, Good from 1.0 to 1.75 ft, and High above 1.75 ft.
- Put-in accessGreen River Lake Tailwater, 37.2416, -85.3441
KDFWR identifies the tailwater ramp as a free public paved launch with security-lit parking, restroom facilities, and a no-upstream-boating rule above the ramp.
- Take-out accessRoachville Ford, 37.2353, -85.4241
KDFWR identifies Roachville Ford as a free public low-water ford access with limited roadside parking and no amenities.
- Live-gauge supportUSGS 03306500 at 1.58 ft
USGS Water Services returned a same-day July 10, 2026 06:15 CDT gage-height reading for Green River at Greensburg during this run. That stage sits inside KDFWR's good band.
- Route characterTailwater opener, first shoal below Highway 55, and low-water ford finish
KDFWR says the first shoal is a quarter mile below the Highway 55 bridge at the launch and describes Roachville as a low-water ford with shallow riffles, pools, and water willow beds where portaging may be needed in lower flows.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
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Reports
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Quick answers
Green River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Green River?
Paddle Today watches Green River at Greensburg, KY and treats 1.00 ft to 1.75 ft as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Green River route start and end?
This route starts at Green River Lake Tailwater and ends at Roachville Ford, about About 12.5 mi on the water.
Is this Green River route good for beginners?
This is listed as an easy route, but conditions still matter. Check today's score, water level, weather, and access notes before you go.
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