KWRI Publications

Watershed Watch in Kentucky (WWKY) is a statewide, non-profit, citizen monitoring effort to improve and protect water quality. In November 2017, the Science Advisory Committee (SCIAD) of WWKY met to discuss the parameters and analysis methods being used by individual basins across the state. As part of the core monitoring program, all basins across the state routinely sample for E. coli, water temperature, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, and pH using standard
methodology. However, individual basin teams have pursued other parameters based on the unique land uses and geology of each basin as well as funding and interest of each basin team. According the Watershed Watch Data Portal, only four of the basins sampled nutrient parameters in either 2016 or 2017 and only two of the basins sampled nutrient parameters in both years. The cost of laboratory analysis was indicated by the committee to be the primary impediment to additional nutrient sampling, despite the recognized importance of these parameters. SCIAD determined WWKY would benefit from performing nutrient analyses statewide. However, due to the numerous low-cost, nutrient field-testing products that have been introduced in recent years, SCIAD expressed the need to determine which field kits are most accurate, cost effective and accessible to volunteers. The report, Watershed Watch Nutrient Field Kit Evaluation Report (pdf, 33 pgs), details an evaluation of the data quality, ease of use, time duration of analysis, and other factors associated with these field kits. 

Kentucky is home to an abundance of water resources: over 92,000 miles of streams, 1,000 square miles of wetland, and 350 square miles of lakes. Kentuckians value and use their waters in numerous ways. Over 4.3 billion gallons per day are withdrawn from Kentucky waters for use to support all aspects of life from thermoelectric power to public drinking water and industries to agriculture. Our waters support thriving wildlife populations supporting over half a million fisherman each year as well as commercial fisheries. Kentucky waters are also home to 75% of Kentucky’s federally threatened and endangered species. Despite the importance of water to the Commonwealth, over half of the waterways that have been assessed have been found to be impaired for one or more uses. Managing these water resources requires the cooperation of numerous organizations throughout the state, region, and nation. KWRI created the poster Water Organizations of Kentucky to serve as an overview of water organizations and facilitate networking among organizations.

The poster is available for download here: Water Organizations of Kentucky (PDF, 1pg). If you would like to purchase a printed copy of the poster, please contact kwrri@uky.edu. Smaller sections of the poster are available to view below, with links to a pdf version. 

The Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute compiles the proceedings of its Annual Symposium each year. The proceedings document is a compilation of abstracts for all oral and poster presentations presented on the day of the symposium. The symposium proceedings from 2006-2019 are available online through UKnowledge here. 

The USGS's 104b grant program requires an annual technical report to be completed each year. The report consolidates reporting requirements for the Section 104(b) base grant award into a single document that includes: 1) a synopsis of each student research enhancement project that was conducted during the period, 2) citations for related publications, reports, and presentations, 3) a description of information transfer activities, 4) a summary of student support during the period, and 5)
notable awards and achievements. The annual technical reports as well as periodic program evaluation reports are available online through UKnowledge here. 

From 1966 until 1997, the Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute published an annual research report. The research was sponsored by KWRRI and supported in part by funds provided by the United States Department of Interior as authorized by the Water Resources Research Act of 1964, P.L. 88-379. The reports are available through UKnowledge here.