Waterworks Archive

Environmental Report Card

by Lyle V.A. Sendlein
Director, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute
University of Kentucky

A new publication by the Kentucky Environmental Quality Commission reports on the status of the environment in Kentucky. By using various measures, the Commission has attempted to quantify the level of the environmental protection effort in the State. The document addresses all aspects of the environment, water, air and natural resources, with toxic chemicals, resource extraction and energy also given individual chapters. The report indicates that progress has been made, but more has to be done if the environment is to be clean and protected in the future.

In the past decade, the State's rivers have continued to improve but at a slower pace than in the previous decade. Even though improvements have been made, 19 of the 21 monitoring locations indicate chloride pollution from oil-drilling operations is still impacting four major river basins in the State. More water is being withdrawn from the State's rivers as a result of increasing population and industrial use. Continued surveillance is needed to ensure that water supplies do not reach critical levels.

Lakes in the State are not improving at a very fast rate. Fish kills were down in 1993, but there does not seem to be an improving trend during the last ten years. For drinking-water wells that were tested on a voluntary basis, the report showed that more than half of the wells are contaminated with bacteria. Other indicators also show that bacteria in public water supplies continues to be a problem.

Spills of toxic and other hazardous materials in Kentucky are still on the rise. More than 3,000 spills occurred in 1993, which is an average of more than eight per day. Major spills affecting drinking water supplies still occur in the Ohio River . Those water supplies that rely on surface water or on groundwater in contact with surface water are potential sites for contamination from spills on highways and railroads.

This report (along with the Kentucky Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Cabinet report to Congress on the status of water in Kentucky) provides a good basis for the evaluation of Kentucky's environment. It helps resource managers focus on those areas of the environment that need continued or increased efforts to cleanup and protect. It also provides a tool to evaluate the current efforts and allows the legislature and the Governor to determine how resources should be used on environmental issues.

Another tool is under development by the NREPC in conjunction with other agencies to prioritize the risk to environmental systems. This effort, called the Kentucky Outlook 2000 project, allows for citizen and technical experts to make a contribution to the decision-making process that is normally reserved for governmental entities. As environmental issues come under closer budgetary scrutiny, decisions makers must know how the public feels about each environmental issue before major decisions are made to take (or not take) specific actions.

The Kentucky Environmental Quality Commission and the NREPC should be congratulated for their efforts to preserve the environmental systems of the State. The new publication by the Kentucky Environmental Commission entitled The State of Kentucky's Environment: 1994 Status Report can be obtain by calling 502-564-2150 or writing the Commission at 14 Reilly Road, Frankfort, KY 40601-1132.

Last modified: November 28, 1995

Copyright © 1995 University of Kentucky - Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute