Kentucky Lakes and Rivers
Many of Kentucky's streams, lakes and rivers remain so polluted or changed that they fail to meet their designated uses, according to a new state study. Problems can be found in the urban waters of the Louisville area and in the creeks and reservoirs of the state's eastern mountains and western farm fields.
The study assessed more than 10,000 miles of rivers and streams, 10 percent of the total. 52 percent failed to meet standards for such uses as swimming, fishing, drinking or the ability to support aquatic life. That's up from 47 percent two years ago and 35 percent in 2000.
State officials caution against concluding that water quality is worse. The numbers could be explained by the fact that more waterways are being checked. State officials said they are developing pollution limits for each troubled waterway.
Although overall water quality has improved over the past three or four decades, the state does not have enough years of statewide data to determine more recent trends.
Data from the study:
5,163 miles of streams and rivers and 98,300 acres on 45 lakes are impaired, compared with 4,654 miles of damaged streams and rivers and 97,225 acres on 40 lakes and reservoirs in 2004.
55 percent of Kentucky rivers and streams do not fully support aquatic life.
Portions of various creeks and lakes in the Louisville area, including Beargrass, Chenoweth Run, Floyds Fork, Harrods Creek, the Chickasaw Park pond, McNeely Lake, Shelby Lake and Taylorsville Lake, all have problems.
78 percent of the water in the Big Sandy and Upper Cumberland River basins in Eastern Kentucky is not safe for swimming.
December 29, 2006 7:23 AM | Category: Cleanup