Kentucky Water Science Center
The mission of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is to serve the Nation by providing reliable, impartial scientific information to describe and understand the Earth; minimize loss of life and property from natural disasters; manage water, biological, energy, and mineral resources; and enhance and protect our quality of life.
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NOTICE: Recently discontinued and threatened USGS streamgages in Kentucky. Click here for more information.
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Project ArchiveAbandoned Oil and Gas Wells near Fort Knox |
Science Highlights
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The USGS Indiana and Kentucky WSCs work together closely, under one Director, within a “Commonwealth” model. The Indiana-Kentucky WSC Commonwealth is organized with a Deputy Director in each State office who reports to the Director. Technical and support staff in each State report to the Deputy Director. The combined staff of the Commonwealth is approximately 100 employees, which is composed of hydrologists, research hydrologists, hydrologic technicians, biologists, geospatial specialists, management, administration, and information technology support personnel. The USGS Indiana WSC office is located in Indianapolis, Indiana. The USGS Kentucky WSC consists of three offices: Louisville, Kentucky (main office), Murray, Ky. (field office), and Williamsburg, Ky. (field office). |
The USGS Indiana–Kentucky Water Science Center Commonwealth provides reliable hydrologic and water-related ecological information to aid in the understanding of the use and management of water resources in Indiana, Kentucky, and the Nation. Input for the new 3–5 year Commonwealth strategic science plan was received from cooperators, stakeholders, and staff and was considered in the development of the objectives and strategic actions (for the next 3-5 years) for each of six science-focus areas:
Center for Applied Hydrologic Solutions
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The Center for Applied Hydrologic Solutions (CAHS) is jointly located within the USGS Kentucky and Indiana Water Science Centers in Louisville, Kentucky and Indianapolis, Indiana respectively. CAHS is dedicated to developing high-end spatial and information-technology applications that leverage defensible USGS science to create partner-driven applications that pair with modern technologies. |
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Ohio River Alluival Aquifer - Groundwater Network
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Water-level data for the alluvial aquifer at Louisville, Kentucky, have been collected by the USGS in cooperation with various local and State agencies since September 1943. Data are presently being collected in cooperation with the Louisville Water Company. Special attention is given to the northeast portion of the alluvial aquifer where the Louisville Water Company is beginning to use riverbank filtration wells [refer to the photograph to the right] to draw water from the Ohio River through the aquifer at their B.E. Payne Water Treatment Plant near Prospect, Kentucky. To monitor the groundwater levels, twenty-eight existing wells were incorporated into an observation well network. This network is measured quarterly. Twelve of the observation wells are equipped with continuously recording pressure transducers that measure water levels and water temperature. Hydrographs from the continuous recorder wells depict the trends in the groundwater levels. |
A Louisville Water Company riverbank infiltration well. |
Water Availability Tool for Environmental Resources
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The Water Availability Tool for Environmental Resources (WATER) was developed in cooperation with the Kentucky Division of Water to provide a consistent and defensible method of estimating streamflow, water availability, and other hydrologic information in ungaged basins. |
The concept of the Kentucky WATER application was born from the need to quantify water availability in areas of the Kentucky Commonwealth with limited long-term monitoring data. Kentucky's wealth of geospatial data was critical to the Kentucky WATER application and enabled USGS scientists to take well-known streamflow generation and modeling concepts (Beven and Kirby, 1979), develop innovative dataprocessing methods, and apply the concept across all regions of Kentucky with much greater accuracy and precision than had been previously possible.
WATER Users Group Community Wiki (public download site)
View the project page link above to learn more about how the USGS can help you manage your water resources by providing custom input data, user-friendly interfaces, and tailored output to meet your specific management needs through "WATER".
Kentucky Agriculture Science and Monitoring Committee
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The Kentucky Agriculture Science and Monitoring Committee (KASMC) is a partnership of national, state, and local agencies dedicated to coordinating agricultural science and monitoring efforts in Kentucky in order to promote sustainable farming and a healthy environment |
U.S. Geological Survey Flood Innundation Mapping Science
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U.S. Department of the Interior |
U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://ky.water.usgs.gov/
Page Contact Information: webmaster@ky.water.usgs.gov
Page Last Modified: Tuesday, April 10, 2012 8:21 AM
