One of the most interesting watersheds in the Central Kentucky is the Cane Run. This is a creek that has it all. The Cane Run Watershed is approximately 29,000 acres in size and is contained within parts of Fayette and Scott Counties. It originates underneath urban areas on the north side of Lexington and is conveyed through a series of storm drains, pipes and restricted channels. As the creek continues on the surface, it joins with other tributaries and travels through parks, open greenspaces and agricultural lands. The two largest property owners within the watershed are the University of Kentucky’s Agricultural Experiment Station and the Kentucky Horse Park. What makes Cane Run special is that before it leaves Fayette County, a significant portion of its flow has already disappeared underground. Along the creek bottom, one can see the occurrence of small sinkholes and swallets. These are small cracks and crevices in the limestone bedrock where the creek begins to seep underground and recharge the Royal Spring Aquifer. It takes a heavy rain to supply enough water for Cane Run to continue above the surface into Scott County. Eventually it joins with the North Elkhorn Creek and Kentucky River.

The Cane Run Watershed is an important water resource because the Royal Spring Aquifer is the major source of drinking water for the City of Georgetown, KY. Segments of the waterway have been identified as having high levels of sedimentation/siltation, pathogens, and nutrient/organic enrichment. Some of this pollution is called “Point Source” as it may come from a single location, such as a leaking sewer pipe, a sewer manhole overflow or an industrial discharge. More commonly, the pollution sources are “Non-Point Source”, meaning it comes from a wide range of small sources in both agricultural and urban settings. These could include livestock in the creek, erosion from construction sites, failing septic systems, pet waste on sidewalks or fertilizers. The result of this pollution means the stream is unable to support aquatic wildlife habitat and is unfit for primary contact recreation. Cane Run has been placed on Kentucky’s 303(d) list of impaired streams.

The Cane Run and Royal Spring Watershed Based Plan (WBP) will collect water quality data within the watershed and present a plan for making improvements. The goal of this project is to reduce the effects of nonpoint sources of pollution and help the watershed meet or exceed state water quality standards. The WBP describes potential best management practices that will be targeted to individual reaches along the Cane Run and its tributaries. The efforts of this project will be focused on the upper Cane Run watershed (15,000 acres), which is the recharge zone for the Royal Spring Aquifer. This target area extends from the northern sections of Lexington, KY to the Kentucky Horse Park, which is preparing to host the 2010 World Equestrian Games. The election of a new Lexington mayor, EPA sanitary and storm water enforcement actions, and the FEI World Equestrian Games are driving public enthusiasm to correct the problems with the watershed in order to present the Bluegrass Region favorably to our guests and improve local quality of life.

A phased project has been designed to take advantage of the enthusiasm for the watershed and expedite its cleanup. Phase I of the Cane Run Project is the development and approval of a watershed based plan with some initial implementation. Phase II is the continued implementation of the watershed based plan. Implementation includes cooperation of watershed stakeholders to install best management practices (BMPs), restore portions of the stream channel, and conduct an education and outreach campaign. The education and outreach campaign has been designed to increase awareness and educate residents, visitors, and businesses regarding their impact on the watershed and how they can participate in the restoration efforts.

Enthusiasm for the project is shown by the scale of cooperators that have been assembled from federal, state, and local governments and private landowners. Potential partners include, but are not limited to: University of Kentucky (UK), UK Cooperative Extension Service, Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG), Kentucky Division of Conservation, Kentucky River Watershed Watch, Bluegrass PRIDE, Bluegrass Partnership for a Green Community, Fayette County Conservation District, Fayette County Public Schools, Scott County Public Schools, Friends of Cane Run, Lexmark International Inc., Fasig-Tipton Equine Industries, and the Kentucky Horse Park. These cooperators have a vested interest in the watershed and considering their influence on the stream, create a high probability of success.