Salt River Watershed Watch

River Basins in Kentucky

Kentucky is divided into 7 major river basins, including the Salt River Basin.

Each river basin includes all of the land drained by many streams, creeks and springs that flow downhill into one another eventually forming rivers.

To learn more about Salt River Watershed Watch or to volunteer, contact Steering Committee Chair Becca Trueman (beccatruemanky(at)gmail.com).

Who we are

Volunteers: A non-profit group of almost 100 volunteers give their time to improve our streams through a coordinated campaign of water quality monitoring, skills development, water improvement projects and environmental education.

Steering Committee: (LINK) Our Steering Committee meets monthly by conference call to discuss monitoring and projects, coordination with other groups and agencies, and to apply for grants and funding. All SRWW volunteers are welcome!

Data Committee: (LINK) This committee formed in 2020 to review volunteer data after each monitoring event, answer volunteer's data questions, ensure that data are posted promptly to the Data Portal and review the data presentation prior to the Annual Conference.

Watershed Watch in Kentucky: is the statewide organization that coordinates volunteer monitoring across Kentucky. Salt River Watershed Watch is one of seven watershed groups that monitor streams, rivers and lakes across our state. Click HERE to learn more.

SRWW Partnerships: SRWW is grateful for the support of the following partners:

  • Kentucky Division of Water

  • Kentucky Waterways Alliance

  • Kentucky Distillers Association

  • River City Paddle Sports

  • US Geological Survey

  • Virginia Environmental Endowment

  • Watershed Watch in Kentucky

what we do

Training: We hold 3-4 free training workshops each spring to train new volunteers and recertify existing volunteers.

Equipment: We loan test kits to trained volunteers so they can test water quality (pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, temperature).

Monitoring sites: Our volunteers choose a stream to monitor, or we help you find a site.

Testing: Volunteers use test kits and collect bacteria samples three times each year on the 2nd Saturday in May, July and September. Stream biology and habitat are studied each June.

Laboratory Results: Bacteria samples are analyzed at a professional laboratory.

Water Improvement Projects: We work with other organizations and agencies to plant native trees, shrubs, and plants along streams. Click HERE to learn more.

Environmental Education: We work with middle and high schools to support water quality science fair projects, class projects and field trips to local streams.

Canoe Trips: Numerous canoe trips offered in partnership with River City Paddle Sports. Click HERE to learn more.

Conference: In February, we host a free conference to present and discuss monitoring results and projects. This event is open to volunteers and anyone who is interested in SRWW! Click HERE for more information about the 2021 Annual Conference

where we work

Counties: Salt River Watershed Watch volunteers monitor streams, rivers and springs in all or parts of these counties:

Anderson

Boyle

Breckinridge

Bullitt

Carroll

Casey

Hardin

Henry

Jefferson

Larue

Marion

Meade

Mercer

Nelson

Oldham

Shelby

Spencer

Trimble

Washington

Rivers: Salt River Watershed Watch volunteers monitor these rivers and the streams and springs that flow to them:

Ohio River Tributaries from Little Kentucky River to Salt River

Salt River from Hardinsburg to Ohio River

Rolling Fork Watershed includes Chaplin River, Upper and Lower Beech Fork, Upper and Lower Rolling Fork

Sinking Fork / Ohio River Tributaries from Salt River to Sinking Creek