The primary goal of the Cane Run and Royal Spring Watershed Management Plan is to reduce the effects of nonpoint sources of pollution in the watershed to allow the watershed to meet or exceed state water quality standards. The mix of agricultural, urban fringe, and urban landscapes will require a broad range of best management practices to be implemented. Since the Royal Spring is the primary drinking water supply for the city of Georgetown, improvements in the quality of water within the watershed will benefit not only the effected stream miles but the water users within the city as well.

The Cane Run and Royal Spring watershed is significantly different from typical watersheds. Portions of the Cane Run behave as traditional baseflow dominated streams that maintain flow from season to season. Other portions of Cane Run are simply waterways to carry high flows during flood conditions. In-stream sinks within the Cane Run govern the diversion of stream flow between the aquifer (Royal Spring) and the waterway. Since there is a direct link between the Cane Run and Royal Spring, a key aspect of the management plan will be the determination of sink locations. At these sink locations, BMP’s will be installed to enhance groundwater quality.

The location of the watershed within the Bluegrass Region of the state and along the I-75 and I-64 corridors makes the watershed highly visible for educational opportunities. The secondary goal of the project is to make the restoration effort as visible as possible to not only the residents of the watershed, but across the state and nation. National and international visitors to the FEI World Games in 2010 will be at the Kentucky Horse Park, which in located adjacent to the Cane Run Creek. The unique combination of surface stream (Cane Run) and groundwater (Royal Spring) allows the project to encompass a wide range of educational efforts.