Nature-based Solutions in Kentucky

Banklick Creek

Banklick Creek is a degraded urban stream in Northern Kentucky that is experiencing erosion due to hydromodification (changes to the natural flow regime due to development and increased stormwater runoff). The Wolsing Woods Wetland is a constructed benchfull wetland designed to provide 2.5 acre-feet of storage. It is optimized to reduce downstream erosion and restore a more natural flow regime. The project included streambank stabilization using rock toe along the restored bank and native livestakes. The area around the wetland was planted with native trees and seeding. Vernal pools were included to increase amphibian habitat above the benchfull wetland. The project also included two in-stream riffle complexes designed to reduce erosion and serve as stepping stone stream crossings that connect with trails on the rest of the conservation area. Educational signs were placed at a wetland viewing area to provide education on aquatic/riparian habitat and ecosystems. (You can see the construction progression on our website at  https://www.banklick.org/wolsing-wetland.html) 

For more information contact Nicole Clements (admin@banklick.org), Watershed Coordinator.

Northern Kentucky Sanitation District No 1 (SD 1) Public Service Park

The campus of SD1 embodies the mission of this progressive public agency by creating a regional laboratory for sustainable stormwater management and site restoration. Public Service Park is dedicated to those who enhance Northern Kentucky’s quality of life through public service. The park also serves as a place that could empower and educate the public and development community on the importance of protecting Northern Kentucky’s waterways for future generations. Rather than designing a standard building on a conventional site, SD1 decided to create a multifaceted and multipurpose site design to demonstrate on-site examples of storm water best management practices (BMPs). Public Service Park elegantly integrates and links storm water management with education together through multiple storm water BMPs, including a green roof, bioswale, wetland, retention basin, detention basin, permeable pavements, and a cistern.

The Public Service Park features unique public educational programming and best management practices that demonstrate innovative ways to control storm water runoff and reduce water pollution. A model for environmental outreach, Public Service Park empowers visitors with the knowledge they need to help protect our region’s creeks and rivers for future generations.

Several hands-on demonstration features are used to educate and empower the public about the sensitive stewardship of water resources. SD1 offers tours to members of the Northern Kentucky community, developers, and students. Visitors to Public Service Park have included business professionals from Ukraine and a research group from China.

For more information contact Craig Frye (cfrye@sd1.org), Environmental Scientist

Information & Image:  https://www.asla.org/uploadedFiles/CMS/Advocacy/Federal_Government_Affairs/Stormwater_Case_Studies/Stormwater%20Case%20415%20Northern%20Kentucky%20Sanitation%20District%20No%201%20%28SD1%29%20and%20Public%20Service%20Park,%20Fort%20Wright,%20KY.pdf 

More images:  https://www.humannature.cc/projects/SD1-Regional-Green-Infrastructure-Program 

I-71/75 Terraced Reforestation

The Terraced Reforestation project involves the construction of a series of vegetated, terraced berms in the Interstate 71/75 right-of-way within the City of Covington. The ultimate goal of the project is to reduce combined sewer overflow volume. Because combined sewers carry both sanitary sewage and storm water through the same pipes, excess storm water that enters the combined sewers can cause the system to overflow, resulting in pollution of waterways. Terraced Reforestation is designed to intercept storm water runoff from approximately 17 acres. A series of 12 vegetated, terraced berms were constructed to slow and detain storm water runoff. Each terrace features compacted berms to hold the storm water within the terrace and engineered soil to promote infiltration. Storm water briefly ponds on the surface of each terrace and then filters through the engineered soil medium before it is released into an underdrain. Underdrains in each terrace slowly release the storm water flow into the next terrace. The 12 terraces, almost one mile in total length, are connected in series for maximum volume reduction and detention time. The terraces are planted with native trees and seeded with native grasses and forbs. Over 280 trees are planted with the intent of establishing maximum canopy coverage over the site. 

Information & Image:  https://www.asla.org/uploadedFiles/CMS/Advocacy/Federal_Government_Affairs/Stormwater_Case_Studies/Stormwater%20Case%20058%20Terraced%20Reforestation,%20Covington,%20KY.pdf 

More information:  https://www.concreteconstruction.net/projects/infrastructure/combined-sewer-overflow-project-wins-engineering-award_c 

Old Brownsboro Crossing Low Impact Development Plaza

A 100-acre regional marketplace lays out a pattern of development fixed on activity centers, focal points and multi-modal traffic connections. The Low Impact Development Plaza encompasses eight of the lots: the parking lots and buildings are joined to reduce their size, the parking lots are used by the banks during the day and the restaurants at night, and the parking lot drainage is filtered and infiltrated through a series of bio-detention swales.

Information:  https://www.asla.org/uploadedFiles/CMS/Advocacy/Federal_Government_Affairs/Stormwater_Case_Studies/Stormwater%20Case%20143%20Old%20Brownsboro%20Crossing%20Low%20Impact%20Development%20Plaza,%20Louisville,%20KY.pdf 

More information:  https://issuu.com/gresham-smith/docs/1-oldbrownsborocrossing 

Hatchery Creek

Over the years, Hatchery Creek carved a deep gully on its way to the Cumberland River. Dirt washed from the banks blanketed the streambed, eliminating the rocky nooks and crannies that insects need for survival. Erosion and the sediment it carries is Kentucky’s leading cause of stream impairment, and a threat to healthy fisheries. The Hatchery Creek Restoration Project is a model of a healthy stream system. It has a gentler slope than the old stream. It has riffles, pools and wetlands. These improvements will significant reduce erosion into the Cumberland River.

For more information contact A. Meg Redmon (anne_redmon@fws.gov), Environmental Education / Outreach Specialist.

Green Forests Work Daniel Boone National Forest

Green Forests Work's (GFW) reforestation project on the Daniel Boone National Forest was intended to restore upland oak-shortleaf pine forest on a land that had been converted to grassland after mining was completed. Reforestation of formerly mined lands provides numerous benefits including control of unwanted vegetation, creation of young-forest habitat in the short-term, and the eventual creation of mature forest habitat and reduction of forest fragmentation. Additional benefits of these reforestation projects include increased biodiversity, improved water quality, improved air quality through increased deposition of airborne particulates, climate change mitigation through increased carbon accumulation, multi-seasonal nectar sources for pollinators, and improved wildlife habitat for targeted species. GFW’s projects also provide jobs for seed collectors, equipment operators, nursery workers, and tree planters. The healthy and productive native forests that are restored will provide sustainable economic development and opportunities for entrepreneurship through future management actions, recreation, and harvesting of timber and non-timber forest products.

For more information contact Michael French (michael.french@greenforestswork.org), Director of Operations.

Beargrass Creek Watershed Rain Gardens

The Beargrass Creek Watershed Master Plan resulted in the creation of a community wide rain garden and rain barrel installation program, sponsored by the Metropolitan Sewer District. As this is the most urbanized watershed in Louisville, the opportunity for mitigating the impacts of stormwater with green infrastructure was limited. Therefore, the plan involved crafting a Watershed Report Card and encouraging homeowners and businesses to install rain barrels and rain gardens on a site by site, lot by lot basis to achieve results.

Information:  https://www.asla.org/uploadedFiles/CMS/Advocacy/Federal_Government_Affairs/Stormwater_Case_Studies/Stormwater%20Case%20465%20Beargrass%20Creek%20Watershed%20Master%20Plan,%20Louisville,%20KY.pdf 

Image:  http://www.msdlouky.org/aboutmsd/pdfs/RainGardenRev.pdf 

Yew Dell Botanical Gardens Living Roof

This living roof is on the north side of Yew Dell's solar/geothermal greenhouse. It not only serves to slow the flow of runoff from the greenhouse roof but also reduces reflected heat. The roof is planted with sedums and other succulent plants that tolerate periods of drought and reduce the need for watering between rain events. 

For more information about the green roof, visit https://www.yewdellgardens.org/green-roof/.

Currys Fork Watershed Stream Restoration

This project focuses on planting live stakes along degraded streams in the Currys Fork Watershed. Live stakes are branches cut from dogwoods, willows, and other native trees commonly found along streams. These branches can be planted with ease directly into the sides of eroding banks. Live stakes are considered a low-cost and low-risk solution to reduce streambank erosion.

Live stake plantings began in the fall of 2020 with volunteer planting events at the Oldham Reserve; a 1,000 acre public property located south of downtown La Grange. Most of the streams in the watershed are on private property. By doing this work at the Oldham Reserve we have an ideal site to expand public involvement.

The Oldham Reserve is a unique site. The main purpose of this site is to increase tax revenue by providing space for development. However, conservation of the streams, totaling more than 30,000 linear feet, has been prioritized and this project is fully supported by the Oldham-La Grange Development Authority (OLDA) who own and manage the property. An additional benefit of this project is that this work has the potential to publicly demonstrate the ability to find balance with development and conservation.

In the spring of 2021 we started to work with specific neighborhoods in the watershed to plant live stakes. Many landowners with property along streams are noticing land loss and are seeking help to slow the erosion. We're asking these landowners to host a planting event with their property serving as the flagship site in their neighborhood. By coordinating plantings as neighborhood events, our goal is to create a network of people within neighborhoods that know how to plant live stakes and can help their neighbors. This not only creates local community, but in the long-run will result in many more sites planted.

The Currys Fork Watershed Program has been managed by Oldham County Fiscal Court since 2005, for the purpose of restoring impaired waterways in the Currys Fork Watershed. Funding for this project is provided by the FFY 2019 319(h) Nonpoint Source Implementation Grant, which is administered by the Kentucky Division of Water. 

Owensboro Chautauqua Park

This project includes a rain garden that will catch a portion of the roof runoff from the Parks Department office building. This is situated off a front corner of the building with good visibility from the parking lot. In addition, there is a bioswale / bioinfiltration (biocell) structure that captures and holds runoff from the majority of the parking lot at this location. In addition, this swale holds roof runoff from the office building not captured by the rain garden and the roof of the Combest Pool building. These features also serve as an outdoor classroom to showcase green infrastructure and low impact design solutions that address nonpoint source pollution issues.

More information:  https://eec.ky.gov/Environmental-Protection/Water/Reports/Reports/NPS1110-Chautauqua.pdf 

Marshall County Children's Art Center

This demonstration project at the Marshall County Children's Art Center included a rain garden and vegetated swale. Before, during, and after installation, a series of educational workshops introduced elements of green infrastructure to local officials, homeowners, and school children. For example, the local extension office held a rain garden planting workshop for residents of Marshall County.

UK Nicholasville Road Flood Mitigation

The stream and stormwater developments along Alumni Drive (Big Elm tributary of the Wolf Run watershed) have become regarded as Lexington’s most remarkable example of stormwater design and management. As a major point of entry to the campus, this project welcomes visitors as an impressive landmark. The drainage improvement project was undertaken to eliminate the dangerous overtopping of Nicholasville Road that occurred during heavy rain events and was responsible for the drowning deaths of two UK students. The project scope of work evolved to include several nature-based solutions including the perennial native plantings in Basin 3.1 that have now become well-established and attract a variety of wildlife while stabilizing the stormwater flow from the hillside to the channel that passes under the major thoroughfare. UK also utilizes the project area to extend the classroom experience and enhance studies in various disciplines such as horticulture and urban design. An observation plaza also provides a teaching platform and an upstream view of the basins.

For more information contact Esther White (whitesther@gmail.com), HMA Project Grant Manager.

More information:  http://www.kymitigation.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/12-Success-with-FEMA-Hazard-Mitigation-Grants-The-UK-Nicholasville-Road-Flood-Mitigation-Project-Josh-Karrick-Brian-Gathy.pdf 

Georgetown Fire Station Parking Lot

The Georgetown Fire Station parking lot stands as a visible display of stormwater management practices being implemented within an urban setting in Central Kentucky, and continues to serve the local and regional community as an educational and demonstrational facility. This project was funded in part by a 319(h) grant, and features seven different best management practices: rain gardens, three different types of pervious pavement, two types of subsurface detention, a rain barrel, and erosion and sediment control. Another key component of this project was public education, and this continues to be an asset to the community today.

Information:  https://www.asla.org/uploadedFiles/CMS/Advocacy/Federal_Government_Affairs/Stormwater_Case_Studies/Stormwater%20Case%20386%20Georgetown%20Fire%20Station%20Parking%20Lot,%20Georgetown,%20KY.pdf 

News Article:  https://www.kentucky.com/news/local/counties/scott-county/article43998423.html