Extension
It Starts With Us
Backyard Streams
Best Management Practices for Safe Food, Farms & Families
Adams, Aldenderfer, Shepherd
Backyard Streams
Ag Water Quality Program
Urban Environments (water issues)
Home & Consumer Horticulture
Kentucky has over 90,000 miles of streams and rivers. Many citizens have streams flowing through their property, some in their backyards. Many streams are subject to “urban stream syndrome” which can lead to increased flooding and scoured stream banks. Homeowners are often challenged by how to “manage” a backyard stream. Stream bank erosion, invasive plants, and lack of wildlife habitat are often problems for backyard stream owners. It is important for all Kentucky citizens to understand basic watershed concepts and basic stream science, and be able to apply this knowledge when making management decisions that may impact water quality. Educational programs will provide opportunities for backyard stream owners and managers to become better stewards of Kentucky’s water resources by stabilizing stream banks, planting native vegetation, improving wildlife habitat, and potentially improving property values.
The population of Kentucky continues to migrate to urban areas thus increasing impervious surface and subsequent runoff and impairments to water quality. EPA has imposed regulations on 104 Municipal Separate Storm Sewer (MS4) permitted communities with populations of 10,000 or more to educate and involve the public in their permit plans.
Protect and improve water quality
Protect soil resources
Maintain or improve wildlife habitat (e.g. pollinators, fish, aquatic insects)
Maintain or improve property value
Reduction of lawn, landscape, and garden additives
Improve level of water quality in stream segments within and adjacent to communities
Evaluate changes in backyard streams
Implement best management practice(s) to protect stream banks and stream buffer zone
Plant native vegetation in stream buffer zones
Maintain native vegetation in stream buffer zones
Implement best management practice(s) to reduce storm water pollution
Recommend appropriate practices to neighbors
Make informed decisions on use of lawn, landscape and garden additives
Apply lawn, landscape and garden additives as recommended including: handling, application, disposal, and environmental conditions
Direct downspouts to pervious surfaces
Identify and evaluate problem areas in urban watersheds
Identify native and non-native stream side vegetation
Understand basic stream hydrology
Interpret basic stream ecology
Relate how streams respond to human impacts
Learn how to take a soil test
Initial Outcome: Identify and evaluate problem areas in urban watersheds
Indicator: map of the county with problem streams identified
Method: map
Timeline: June 2017
Intermediate Outcome: Implement best management practice(s) to protect stream banks and stream buffer zone
Indicator: Problem streams are reduced by 10%
Method: demonstration
Timeline: winter 2019
Audience: Homeowners, farmers
Project or Activity: Reading soil test results
Content or Curriculum: UK Publications
Inputs: Extension Agent time, UK Soils Lab
Date: weekly
Audience: EMG volunteers
Project or Activity: how to take a soil test
Content or Curriculum: UK Publication, EMG manual, EMG Class
Inputs: EMG training, Agent time
Date: Fall 2018, 2020
Audience:
Project or Activity:
Content or Curriculum:
Inputs:
Date:
Author: Amy Aldenderfer
Major Program: Backyard Streams
Kentucky has over 90,000 miles of streams and rivers. Many citizens have streams flowing through their property, some in their backyards. Many streams are subject to “urban stream syndrome” which can lead to increased flooding and scoured stream banks. Homeowners are often challenged by how to “manage” a backyard stream. Stream bank erosion, invasive plants, and lack of wildlife habitat are often problems for backyard stream owners. It is important for all Kentucky citize
