Evolution of a Watershed-Management Framework in the Kentucky River Basin

Abstract

Following an increased emphasis on watershed management by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the 1990s, the Kentucky Division of Water (KDOW) developed and implemented a watershed-management framework process for the state of Kentucky in 1997. The Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute (KWWRI) coordinated the first implementation of the framework process in the Kentucky River basin beginning in 2000. After an evaluation of the program that followed the completion of the first five-year cycle of the framework, the KWRRI made significant changes to the framework so as to incorporate greater stakeholder involvement and to place a greater focus on the development and implementation of watershed plans at a local level. This paper provides a summary of the watershed activities in the Kentucky River basin over the past 15 years and evaluates the lessons learned during that process. It is hoped that these observations will be useful to other agencies and organizations that are engaged in watershed-management activities, either at the state or local level.

Evolution and Application of Urban Watershed Management Planning

“…). While overall project effectiveness is important for the success of implementation, newer management programs are focusing more on the feasibility of projects over other prioritization factors (Ormsbee and McAlister ). Often, the obtainability of undeveloped private land and sufficient funding are the principal factors limiting implementation efforts.…”

“…This adaptive management technique allows planners to better inform future efforts. The CWP suggests revisiting WMPs on a rolling five‐year cycle (CWP ); however, most plans take several years to implement, making the five‐year cycle difficult to achieve (Ormsbee and McAlister ). While some WMPs do periodically update the plans, few plans were found to complete meaningful evaluation of successes and failures, in spite of the known importance of adaptive management for long‐term improvement of watershed programs.…”

A digraph permanent approach to evaluation and analysis of integrated watershed management system

“…The one of the specific goal of the Kentucky watershed management program was to preserve and enhance aesthetic and recreational values of watershed (Ormsbee and McAlister, 2014) which indicates that the socio economic development is necessary for overall development of watershed.…”

Urban, agricultural, and environmental protection practices for sustainable water quality

“…A statewide watershed approach consisted of five criteria to include 1) delineating a state into watersheds/basins, 2) defining of a management steps to guide regulatory and non-regulatory actions, 3) coordinating water resource programs, 4) codifying a process to involve stakeholders, and 5) focusing on environmental results. Approximately 20 states adopted this statewide watershed approach 52 and it is estimated that use continues in 18 states 53 . How each state codified management was not prescribed by the approach framework, yet many had the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), a program that regulates the pollution concentration thresholds emitted through a permitting process 54,55 , as a part of statewide watershed management.…”