Hardin County CES

Title:

Backyard Streams

MAP:

Best Management Practices for Safe Food, Farms & Families

Agents Involved:

Adams, Aldenderfer, Shepherd

MAJOR PROGRAM 1:

Backyard Streams

MAJOR PROGRAM 2:

Ag Water Quality Program

MAJOR PROGRAM 3:

Urban Environments (water issues)

MAJOR PROGRAM 4:

Home & Consumer Horticulture

Situation:

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.

Long-Term Outcomes:

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

Intermediate Outcomes:

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

Initial Outcomes:

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

Evaluation:

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

Learning Opportunities:

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:  Homeowners, Farmers

Project or Activity: Joint Educational Family Day with Hardin Water District #1

Content or Curriculum:  UK Publications, Demonstrations, Stream-Lake Data

Inputs: Agents, Specialists, Hardin Water District #1 Personnel

Date:  Summer 2018 or Spring 2019