Kentucky Watershed Forum

The Kentucky Water Research Institute (KWRI) and the Kentucky Division of Water (KDOW) co-hosted the 2018 Kentucky Watershed Forum on October 26, 2018, at the Fayette County Cooperative Extension Office in Lexington, Kentucky. The event brought together individuals from diverse organizations across the state to discuss current topics related to water quality and watershed management. The inaugural event was attended by 69 individuals from 40 different organizations. All attendees received a copy of the Kentucky Watershed Organization Directory  and were given the opportunity to purchase the poster, Water Organizations of Kentucky. Both the directory and the poster are available for download on the page, Watersheds: General Information.

The forum was opened by KDOW Director Pete Goodman and KWRI Assistant Director Steve Evans. USEPA Region 4 Section Chief Natalie Ellington gave the keynote address and discussed the importance of watershed protection and management. The forum provided a framework for networking opportunities and information exchange in a variety of formats including:

• River Basin Status Reports – Summary of successes, challenges, and current needs in Kentucky’s major river basins.
  • Kentucky River Basin Report Summary (PDF, 2 pgs)
  • Big Sandy River Basin Report Summary (PDF, 1 pg)
  • Cumberland River Basin Report Summary (PDF, 1 pg)
  • Four Rivers Basin Report Summary (PDF, 2 pgs)
  • Green-Tradewater River Basin Report Summary (PDF, 2 pgs)
  • Licking River Basin Report Summary (PDF, 2 pgs)
  • Salt River Basin Report Summary (PDF, 2pgs)
• Agency Lightning Round – Overview of current programs, funding, technical guidance, and data support offered by each agency.
• Speed Dating – Six rounds of ten minute group "dates" allowed for information exchange and networking with attendees from the forty different agencies and organizations represented at the forum.
• Focus Area Presentations – Insights and recommendations on key issues in the following focus areas:
  • Nutrient Management Outreach Strategies
  • Reaching a Broader and More Diverse Audience with Your Water Quality Data Messages
  • Rural Watershed Management 
  • Water Quality Data Resources 
• Roundtable Sessions – In-depth discussion of focus areas in breakout groups. Summaries of the roundtable discussions for each focus area are available for download below. Click on the image to access the 1 page PDF summary.