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Kentucky | South-Central Kentucky
Green River
Green River Lake Tailwater to Russell Ford Access
Check current paddling conditions for this Green River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route snapshot
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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
Checking weather.
Today by hour
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Quick facts
Plan
Dial in the shuttle, distance, and access.
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 Russell Ford for the longer Upper Green tailwater continuation. Use the Greensburg gauge and expect a slower day whenever the river sits below KDFWR's 1.0 to 1.75 ft good band.
Plan a shorter segmentOptional
Access planner
Pick a shorter segment
This changes launch and take-out logistics, not today's river score.
Peltier Lake to Long Lake is the full route. Shorter access pairs are useful when wind, time, or group energy changes the plan.
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
Russell Ford AccessOpen mapRoachville Ford is the clearest midpoint bailout if the first twelve miles are slower than planned, but it is still a muddy low-water ford rather than a polished ramp.
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.
- Roachville Ford is the clearest midpoint bailout if the first twelve miles are slower than planned, but it is still a muddy low-water ford rather than a polished ramp.
- Russell Ford sits on river left in the middle of a shoal, and KDFWR warns unfamiliar paddlers can drift past it if they stay in the main right channel.
- 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, mud edges, and dragging become more likely across a long day.
- High water above about 1.75 ft, when current through islands, chutes, and the Russell landing gets less forgiving.
- Fresh wood after rain, the first shoal below Highway 55, and take-out confusion at Russell Ford.
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 chainTailwater -> Roachville 12.5 mi plus Roachville -> Russell 6.6 mi
KDFWR lists both public site-to-site mileages on the Pool 6 Green River page, supporting this combined 19.1-mile route.
- 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 accessRussell Ford Access, 37.2738, -85.4784
KDFWR identifies Russell Ford as a free public carry-down access with unpaved parking and year-round 24-hour availability.
- 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 launch, islands and chutes, and a subtle left-bank take-out
KDFWR says the route begins below the Tailwater shoal and describes the Roachville-to-Russell section as islands and chutes through water willow beds where paddlers can drift past the Russell Ford landing if they are not watching the left bank.
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
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
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 Russell Ford Access, about About 19.1 mi on the water.
Is this Green River route good for beginners?
This is listed as a moderate route. Expect more planning than an easy float, and use the live score, route notes, and source links before committing.
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