FOR-69: Field Guide to Best Management Practices for Timber Harvesting in Kentucky
Activities Near High-quality Waters and Outstanding National Resources Waters, 401 KAR 5:029, 5:030, and 5:031. Kentucky water quality standards (401 KAR 5:029) require the use of BMPs to protect high-quality waters and outstanding national resources waters listed in 401 KAR 5:030. In addition, outstanding resource waters that support federally listed threatened and endangered species require protection (see 401 KAR 5:031).
Activities Near Wild Rivers, KRS 146.200 et seq. and 401 KAR 4:100-140. The Kentucky Wild Rivers Act and associated regulations give special protection to streams designated as “wild rivers,” including regulation of silvicultural activity. Before undertaking any silvicultural activity in a corridor of a designated wild river, the landowner or logger should contact the Wild Rivers Program of the Kentucky Division of Water for applicable regulations and instructions.
Debris in Floodplains, KRS 151.250. The Kentucky Division of Water has authority over the placement of debris (including logging slash) in floodplains of perennial streams that have a drainage area larger than one-square mile. The Division of Water advises that as long as the BMPs for Streamside Management Zones and logging debris are followed, landowners and loggers will be considered in compliance with floodplain regulations that address debris. If these BMPs are not followed, the Kentucky Division of Water can institute enforcement proceedings.
Construction in Floodplains, KRS 151.250. All structures (bridges, berms, or other construction that could obstruct flood flows) that are to be constructed in the floodplain of a perennial stream that drains more than one-square mile require a floodplain permit from the Kentucky Division of Water.
Filling or Draining of Wetlands, U.S. Clean Water Act, Section 404. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regulates all filling or draining of wetlands, streams, lakes, or other bodies of water. Normal ongoing silvicultural activities, including building and maintaining forest roads, do not require individual permits, providing certain conditions are met, including adherence to the federal baseline BMPs for forest roads. For detailed information on the silvicultural exemption, contact the Kentucky Division of Forestry.
Activities around Sinkholes and Cave Entrances, KRS 433.870-433.875. The Kentucky Cave Protection Act offers protection to any sinkhole, pit, karst window, and/or sinking stream that has an opening large enough for a person to enter a black zone. The Federal Cave Protection Act is used to manage nonrenewable cave resources on federal lands. Management techniques include buffer zones around sinkhole and cave entrances to provide food sources for cave life, regulate thermal variations, and prevent sedimentation. Extremely sensitive karst systems can include the entire recharge area as a buffer zone.
Endangered Species in Caves, Federal Register 55:6184-6229 and 56:58804-58836. The Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission maintains the list of Kentucky plants and animals that are considered endangered, threatened, and of special concern. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service administers the federal Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended in 1990, and the 1991 Candidate Review. Many species protected by these acts live in caves and can be threatened by pollutants entering sinkholes.
Modified Sinkholes. Any sinkhole that has been modified to receive additional storm water runoff can be classified as a Class V Underground Injection Control (UIC) Well, which must be registered and/or permitted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Underground Injection Control Program.
Cave Streams and Other Underground Surface Waters. Kentucky surface water statutes and regulations have defined subterranean streams that flow underground and have discrete banks and channels, such as cave streams, as surface waters. Several karst groundwater basins in the Mammoth Cave National Park that extend well outside of the Park’s boundary have been designated as Outstanding Resource Waters and receive the same special protection of species as the blind shrimp in Mammoth Cave.
Karst Groundwater Basin Protection. The federal and state Wellhead Protection Programs are developing karst groundwater basin protection plans for public water supplies that use karst springs or groundwater as their water source.
Application of Sludge. The application of some organic materials, such as sludge, can require a permit for compliance with federal and/or state regulations. For more information regarding permits required for the application of sludge, contact the Kentucky Division of Waste Management.
Application of Pesticides. Use only pesticides approved by the Environmental Protection Agency for use in Kentucky. Follow all pesticide label directions. Application of some chemicals can require applicator certification and/or licensing.
| Body of Water | Zone | County | ||
| Big Sandy River Basin | ||||
| Paintsville Lake | Entire Reservoir | Johnson | ||
| Little Sandy River Basin | ||||
| Big Caney Creek | Source to Grayson Lake | Elliott | ||
| Big Sinking Creek | River Mile 6.0 to Little Sandy River | Carter | ||
| Laurel Creek | Source to Little Sandy River | Elliott | ||
| Greenbo Lake | Entire Reservoir | Greenup | ||
| Licking River Basin | ||||
| Craney Creek | Source to North Fork Licking River | Rowan/Morgan | ||
| Licking River | River Mile 176.8 (Cave Run Lake Dam) to River Mile 169.6 (U.S. Highway 60 bridge.) | Bath/Rowan | ||
| Kentucky River Basin | ||||
| Chimney Top Creek | Basin | Wolfe | ||
| Dix River | Herrington Lake Dam to Kentucky River | Garrard/Mercer | ||
| East Fork Indian Creek | Source to Indian Creek | Menifee | ||
| Gladie Creek | Basin | Menifee | ||
| Middle Fork Red River | Source to River Mile 10.6 | Powell | ||
| Parched Corn Creek | Source to Red River | Wolfe | ||
| Swift Camp Creek | Source to Red River | Wolfe | ||
| Bert Combs Lake | Entire Reservoir | Clay | ||
| Fishpond Lake | Entire Reservoir | Letcher | ||
| Mill Creek Lake | Entire Reservoir | Wolfe | ||
| Green River Basin | ||||
| Beaver Dam Creek | Source to Green River | Edmonson | ||
| Buffalo Creek | Source to Green River (in Mammoth Cave National Park) | Edmonson | ||
| Lick Creek | Source to West Fork of Drakes Creek | Simpson | ||
| Lynn Camp Creek | Source to Green River | Hart | ||
| Underground River System | Mammoth Cave National Park Barren | Edmonson/Hart | ||
| Turnhole Spring Basin | Edmonson/Barren | |||
| Echo River Basin | Edmonson | |||
| Pike Spring Basin | Edmonson | |||
| Mile 205.7 Spring Basin | Hart | |||
| McCoy Spring Basin | Hart | |||
| Suds Spring Basin | Hart/Barren | |||
| Nolin River | River Mile 7.6 (Nolin Lake Dam) to Green River | Edmonson | ||
| Rough River | River Mile 89.3 (Rough River Dam) to River Mile 72.4 | Ohio/Grayson | ||
| Roundstone Creek | Source to Kentucky Highway 1140 (River Mile 3.5) | Hart | ||
| Trammel Fork | Source to Kentucky Highway 31E (River Mile 23.6) | Warren | ||
| Lower Cumberland River Basin | ||||
| Casey Creek | Source to Little River | Trigg | ||
| Skinframe Creek | Source to Livingston Creek | Lyon | ||
| Sulphur Spring Creek | Source to Red River | Simpson | ||
| Ohio River Basin | ||||
| Doe Run Creek | Source to Kentucky Highway 1628 (River Mile 5.15) | Meade | ||
| Sinking Creek | Source to Kentucky Highway 259 (River Mile 4.0) | Breckinridge | ||
| Upper Cumberland River Basin | ||||
| Bad Branch | Basin | Letcher | ||
| Bark Camp Creek | Basin | Whitley | ||
| Beaver Creek | Basin | McCreary | ||
| Breeden's Creek | Basin | Harlan | ||
| Bunches Creek | Basin | Whitley | ||
| Cane Creek | Basin | Laurel | ||
| Cogur Fork | Basin | McCreary | ||
| Cumberland River | Lake Cumberland Dam (River Mile 460.9) to Kentucky Highway 90 bridge (River Mile 426.5) | Cumberland | ||
| Difficulty Creek | Basin | McCreary | ||
| Dogslaughter Creek | Basin | Whitley | ||
| Fugitt Creek | Basin | Harlan | ||
| Indian Creek | Source to Barren Fork | McCreary | ||
| Kelly Branch | Basin | Harlan | ||
| Laurel Creek | River Mile 9.0 to River Mile 3.4 | McCreary | ||
| Looney Creek | Basin above River Mile 5.3 | Harlan | ||
| Martin's Fork | Basin above River Mile 27.4 | Harlan | ||
| Poor Fork Cumberland River | Basin above River Mile 742.7 | Letcher | ||
| Razor Fork | Basin | Harlan | ||
| Rock Creek | Tennessee/Kentucky State Line (River Mile 21.9) to White Oak Creek | McCreary | ||
| Shillalah Creek | Source to Cumberland Gap | Bell | ||
| National Historical Park Boundary | ||||
| Sugar Run | Source to Cumberland Gap National | Bell | ||
| Historical Park Boundary | ||||
| Troublesome Creek | Basin | McCreary | ||
| White Oak Creek | Basin above River Mile 1.2 (includes Little White Oak Creek) | Laurel | ||
| Wood Creek | Wood Creek Lake Dam (River | Laurel | ||
| Mile 4.0) to Hazel Patch Creek | ||||
| Beulah (Tyner) Reservoir | Entire Reservoir | Jackson | ||
| Cannon Creek Lake | Entire Reservoir | Bell | ||
| Laurel River Lake | Entire Reservoir | Laurel | ||
| Wood Creek Lake | Entire Reservoir | Laurel | ||
| Body of Water | Zone | County | ||
| Cumberland River Basin | ||||
| Bad Branch | Headwaters to KY 932 | Letcher | ||
| Big South Fork Cumberland River | TN State Line to Blue Heron (Mile 55.2 to Mile 45.0) | McCreary | ||
| Cumberland River | Summer Shoals to Lake Cumberland ( Mile 574.6 to Mile 558.5) | McCreary, Whitley | ||
| Little South Fork Cumberland River | KY 92 to Lake Cumberland (Mile 14.5 to Mile 4.1) | McCreary, Wayne | ||
| Martins Fork | Boundary of Cumberland Gap National Historic Park to KY 987 (Mile 31.3 to Mile 27.4) | Harlan | ||
| Rock Creek | TN State Line to White Oak Creek (Mile 21.9 to Mile 3.9) | McCreary | ||
| Rockcastle River | KY 1956 at Billows to Lake Cumberland | Rockcastle, Laurel, Pulaski | ||
| Green River Basin | ||||
| Green River | East boundary of Mammoth Cave National Park to Lock and Dam No. 6 at Brownsville (Mile 207.7 to Mile 181.7) | Edmonson, Hart | ||
| Kentucky River Basin | ||||
| Red River | KY 746 to Swift Camp Creek (Mile 68.6 to Mile 59.5) | Wolfe, Menifee | ||
| Stream | Zone | County |
| Little Sandy River Basin | ||
| Arabs Fork* | Source to confluence with Clay Fork | Carter |
| Big Caney Creek* | Source to Grayson Lake | Elliot |
| Big Stinking Creek* | Source to River Mile 10.7 | Carter |
| Laurel Creek* | Source to River Mile 7.6 | Elliot |
| Licking River Basin | ||
| Bucket Branch* | Source to confluence with North Fork of the Licking River | Morgan |
| Devils Fork* | Source to confluence with North Fork of the Licking River | Morgan |
| North Fork of Licking River* | Source to River Mile 13.0 | Morgan |
| Kentucky River Basin | ||
| Clear Creek* | Source to River Mile 4.1 | Woodford |
| Clemons Fork* | Source to Buckhorn Creek | Breathitt |
| Coles Fork* | Source to Buckhorn Creek | Breathitt |
| Right Fork of Buffalo Creek* | Source to Buffalo Creek | Owsley |
| South Fork of Station Camp Creek* | Source to River Mile 5.3 | Jackson |
| Station Camp Creek* | River Mile 22.3 to 19.0 | Estill |
| Sturgeon Creek* | Source to River Mile 4.0 | Lee |
| Salt River Basin | ||
| Salt Lick Creek* | Source to River Mile 5.3 | Marion |
| Wilson Creek* | Source to River Mile 12.2 | Bullitt |
| Green River Basin | ||
| Beaverdam Creek* | Source to River Mile 7.6 | Edmonson |
| Gasper River* | Source to River Mile 32.3 | Logan |
| Goose Creek* | Source to River Mile 5.6 | Casey |
| Green River | River Mile 207.8 to 181.7 | Edmonson |
| Russell Creek* | Source to River Mile 60.5 | Adair |
| Trammel Fork* | River Mile 30.15 (Kentucky/Tennessee State line) to River Mile 19.4 | Allen |
| Lower Cumberland River Basin | ||
| Whippoorwill Creek* | Source to Red River | Logan |
| Tennessee River Basin | ||
| Blood River* | River Mile 15.65 (KY/TN state line) to 15.1 | Calloway |
| Soldier Creek* | River Mile 5.3 to 2.6 | Marshall |
| Tradewater River Basin | ||
| Sandlick Creek* | Source to River Mile 3.5 | Christian |
| Tradewater River* | Source to River Mile 126.0 | Christian |
| Ohio River Basin | ||
| Yellowbank Creek* | Source to River Mile 4.4 | Breckinridge |
| Lakes and Reservoirs | ||
| Metropolis | Entire Lake | McCracken |
| Swan | Entire Lake | Ballard |
| Mississippi River Basin (Main Stem and Minor Tributaries) | ||
| Murphy's Pond | Entire Pond and Preserve Area | Hickman |
| Upper Cumberland River Basin | ||
| Bad Branch* | Source to confluence with Poor Fork of Cumberland River | Letcher |
| Bark Camp Creek* | Source to River Mile 2.6 | Whitley |
| Buck Creek* | River Mile 62.6 to 28.9 | Pulaski |
| Cane Creek* | Source to River Mile 7.0 | Laurel |
| Cumberland River | River Mile 574.6 to 558.5 (Headwaters of Lake Cumberland) | McCreary/Whitley |
| Eagle Creek* | Source to River Mile 3.0 | McCreary |
| Horse Lick Creek* | Source to River Mile 12.3 | Jackson |
| Little South Fork of Cumberland River | River Mile 35.6 to 4.1 | Wayne |
| Marsh Creek* | Source to River Mile 12.6 | McCreary |
| Martins Fork of Cumberland River | River Mile 31.3 to 27.4 | Harlan |
| Rock Creek | TN/KY State Line (River Mile 21.9) to White Oak Creek | McCreary |
| Rockcastle River | River Mile 24.4 to 8.5 | Laurel/Pulaski |
| South Fork of Dog Slaughter Creek* | Source to Dog Slaughter Creek | Whitley |
| * Bodies of water in the Kentucky Cabinet for Natural Resources and Environmental Protection reference reach network | ||
| Stream | Zone | County |
| Red River | River Mile 68.6 to 49.2 | Menifee/Wolfe |
| Underground River System | Within Mammoth Cave National Park | Edmonson/ Hart/ |
| Boundary | Barren | |
| Big South Fork of Cumberland River | River Mile 55.2 to 45.0 | McCreary |
Kentucky Division of Forestry
627 Comanche Trail
Frankfort, KY 40601
(502) 564-4496
Natural Resources Conservation Service
771 Corporate Drive, Suite 110
Lexington, KY 40503
(606) 224-7350
Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources
No. 1 Game Farm Road
Frankfort, KY 40601
(502) 564-3400
University of Kentucky
Cooperative Extension Service
College of Agriculture-Department of Forestry
T.P. Cooper Bldg.
Lexington, KY 40546-0073
(606) 257-7596
Kentucky Division of Water
14 Reilly Road
Frankfort, KY 40601
(502) 564-3410
Central District
Kentucky Division of Forestry
P.O. Box 663
Elizabethtown, KY 42702
(502) 766-5010
Southeastern District
Kentucky Division of Forestry
P.O. Box 130
Pineville, KY 40977
(606) 337-3011
South Central District
Kentucky Division of Forestry
120 Gaines Drive
Campbellsville, KY 42718
(502) 465-5071
Kentucky River District
Kentucky Division of Forestry
P.O. Box 702
Hazard, KY 41702
(606) 435-6073
Green River District
Kentucky Division of Forestry
P.O. Box 465
Madisonville, KY 42431
(502) 824-7527
Eastern District
Kentucky Division of Forestry
P.O. Box 189
Betsy Layne, KY 41605
(606) 478-4495
Western District
Kentucky Division of Forestry
P.O. Box 349
Mayfield, KY 42066
(502) 247-3913
Bluegrass District
Kentucky Division of Forestry
P.O. Box 30
Stamping Ground, KY 40379
(502) 535-7741