KWRRI Research Reports

Abstract

During the fall of 1997 and spring of 1998 about 40 individuals and more than 30 organizations and agencies provided input into the development of a monitoring strategy for the Kentucky River basin under the Kentucky Watershed Management Framework. In addition to the agencies that were able to commit resources to the monitoring effort, citizen input was sought in the design of the strategy. Citizen monitoring efforts are also providing valuable information in many portions of the state. The intent of the coordinated planning process was to carefully consider agency resources and capabilities, taking into account where and when each was conducting field work, in order to make the best use of available resources and collect the best information at the least cost. The result should be better information for watershed management and protection, decision making, and demonstration of progress in programmatic activities. Another objective of the coordinated planning effort was to take a multimedia approach by considering surface water and groundwater, water quality and quantity, biology, toxicity, fish tissue, and sediment. All media are not fully represented. A method for integrating atmospheric deposition with other data is not yet available. Groundwater sampling and data recording protocols are still being finalized. Nor does the final plan pretend to represent a fully comprehensive strategy for characterizing all resource conditions. However, the results of the planning effort do represent a significant stride toward the goal of a comprehensive multimedia watershed monitoring strategy. The overall sampling effort includes data collected from 90 of the 97 11-digit hydrologic unit code (HUC) watersheds in the Kentucky River basin. A standard set of sampling protocols was agreed to, and cross-training sessions were provided for biological collections and habitat assessments. This report provides a summary of sampling efforts along with a standard set of water quality parameters and sampling regimes that were designed around types of land use/land cover to allow maximum utilization of programmatic resources and best characterization of water quality resources. Where possible, sampling sites for the various media utilized the same sampling sites or were placed in close proximity to each other, providing multiple lines of evidence for site assessments. Information is also presented in a way that puts rotating basin monitoring (the monitoring resources progress from basin to basin under the Watershed Management five-year cycle) into context with other ongoing statewide efforts, including other locally based monitoring, prioritization, and planning.

Publication Date

2000

Funding Information

This report was funded by the Kentucky River Authority as part of the Kentucky River Basin Watershed Management Program administered under the Kentucky Watershed Management Framework.

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