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Watershed Planning and Collaboration Efforts Reduce Sedimentation
in Floyds Fork
Problem
The Floyds Fork watershed is a large and complex
system in the Outer Bluegrass and Knobs regions
of central Kentucky that drains into the Salt River
(Figure 1). Floyds Fork is approximately 64 miles long
and drains a 284-square-mile watershed including
forested, agricultural and developed lands in Henry
Bullitt, Shelby, Jefferson, Oldham and Spencer coun-
ties. The delisted segment of Floyds Fork (miles
24.2-34.1) drains six subwatersheds and is in the
38.7-square mile Cane Run-Floyds Fork watershed.
The Floyds Fork watershed has been the subject of
significant evaluation, including a 1991 DOW water
quality study, a 2003 DOW mussel survey, a 2008 par-
tial Floyds Fork watershed plan, a U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA)-accepted watershed plan
for the Currys Fork (2011) subwatershed, and EPA-
approved total maximum daily loads for dissolved
oxygen (1997) and bacteria (2014). In 2012, DOW
reclassified this stream segment from nonsupport to
partial support for its WAH designated use. However,
the stream remained impaired by sediment; suspected
sources included agriculture and land development.
Story Highlights
The CWA section 319(h) program funded a partial
watershed plan for the 284-square mile Floyd's Fork
watershed that includes the now-delisted segment.
Additionally, 319(h) program funding supported
Figure 1. Floyds Fork is in central Kentucky.
development of the EPA-approved Currys Fork water-
shed plan (HUC 051401020804), located upstream of
the delisted segment. The Currys Fork watershed plan
facilitated over 3,700 linear-feet of stream channel
restoration, 1,695 acres of riparian forest buffer and
1,020 feet of riparian vegetative buffer. These prac-
tices reduced sediment loss to Floyds Fork by 239.7
tons/year in 2012 alone (Figure 2).
The 38.7-square-mile Cane Run-Floyds Fork watershed
containing the delisted segment received funding
from the Natural Resources Conservation Service
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(NRCS) for 202 agricultural BMPs on 2.6 square miles
of farmland between 2006 and 2012. Combined with
the other five watersheds upstream of the delisted
stream, NRCS funded 1,217 agriculture BMPs on nearly
28 square miles of farmland (see Figure 1). BMPs
included cover crops, contour farming, critical area
planting and grassed waterways. The Kentucky Division
of Conservation (DOC) also funded heavy use feeding
areas in the Lick Fork-Floyds Fork and Currys Fork
watersheds upstream of the delisted stream. Heavy
use feeding areas help manage livestock mud that
contributes to stream sedimentation.
Results
Sedimentation in the Floyds Fork segment decreased
due to the implementation of agriculture BMPs
and upstream stream restoration projects. Aquatic
biological sampling in 2012 by DOW revealed an
excellent Macroinvertebrate Bioassessment Index
(MBi) score (76.6 MBI) and a good Kentucky Index of
Biotic Integrity (KIBI) fish score (49 KIBI). These scores
represent improvement over 1999 aquatic biological
sampling, which had revealed fair scores at river miles
32.6 (53 MBI) and 27.3 (49 MBI). The 2012 data show
that the 9-mile segment now fully supports its WAH
designated use and is no longer impaired for sedi-
ment/siltation. As a result, DOW removed Floyds Fork
(river miles 24.2-34.1) from the impaired waters list In
the 2016 Integrated Report.
Partners and Funding
In addition to EPA and DOW, key partners in the
watershed-related efforts include the NRCS, Kentucky
DOC, the Oldham County Fiscal Court, the Kentucky
Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR),
local watershed groups and the University of Louisville
Stream Institute. The NRCS was the driving agency in
the implementation of the agricultural BMPs, provid-
ing funding and technical resources. The Currys Fork
Watershed Association, Kentucky Waterways Alliance,
and Floyds Fork Environmental Association facilitated
the collection of monitoring data and community
Figure 2. A site upstream of delisted Floyds Fork
segment, before and after restoration.
involvement to identify watershed needs. The Oldham
County Fiscal Court maintains a watershed coordinator
to direct projects in the Curry's Fork watershed. DOC
funded agricultural BMP installation ($15,427) through
utilization of state cost-share dollars.
CWA section 319(h) grants supported numerous
monitoring, implementation and watershed planning
activities, including a 2003 Floyd's Fork mussel survey
($135,750), the Floyd's Fork watershed plan ($216,953),
monitoring of urban stormwater in the Floyd's Fork
watershed ($244,000), and the Currys Fork watershed
plan and implementation ($970,500). Additional
section 319(h) grants supported the University of
Louisviiie's research on sediment ioading ($362,579)
and development of a stream restoration manual
($372,408) using data from the Floyd's Fork watershed.
KDFWR's In-Lieu Fee Mitigation Program invested
over $878,000 into stream restoration activities in the
watershed. The DOW's Nonpoint Source and Basin
Team Section provided technical assistance for these
projects and facilitated NRCS, DOC and KDFWR fund-
ing throughout the watershed.
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA 841-F-20-001CC
October 2020
For additional information contact:
Josiah Frey
Kentucky Division of Water
502-782-0164 • josiah.frey@ky.gov
Curry's Fork.
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