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Licking River


Licking River at sunrise
© Tom Barnes

Why the Conservancy Selected This Site
The Licking River, along with some of its tributaries, is a rare example of native muskie streams. The Lower Licking River watershed has a varied geography and a wide range of plant and animal species living in some of the most highly valued habitat in the region.

The total project area encompasses more than 1.8 million acres, of which about 60% is open agricultural land and 40% is forested. The Lower Licking River ecosystem project runs along the river from Cave Run Lake Dam to the Ohio River. To the southeast, the Licking River Knobs contain diverse hardwood forested areas as well as open grassy woodlands.

A total of 100 fish species inhabit the region, and the basin also supports several unique fish species including: redside dace, mimic shiner, streamline chub, slender madtom, blue sucker, paddlefish, and eastern sand, tippecanoe and sharpnose darters. There are also more than 50 species of mussels, of which 11 are endangered. The watershed provides respite for about 250 species of migratory birds, an unusually high number.

Threats
Excess nutrients in the water are a major threat. It is caused by runoff of residual fertilizers, livestock manure, faulty septic systems and other sources.

Nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen cause algae to grow in the river, which takes oxygen from other species when it dies. Bacteria in the water from faulty sewer systems cause disease in fish. Sediment from farm runoff interferes with fish reproduction and increases drinking water filtration costs.
 
Plants
Short's Goldenrod is a federally endangered species occurs almost exclusively in the Blue Licks area of the watershed. Running Buffalo Clover also makes its home in the Licking region. Many other interesting plants are found in the Licking including:

  • rock scullcap
  • Kentucky lady's-slipper
  • yellow gentian
  • a wide variety of native prairie remnants

Animals
The Licking River maintains nice populations of freshwater mussels including:

  • fanshell (federally endangered)
  • clubshell
  • sheepnose
  • longsolid
  • washboard

Indiana Bats and Gray Bats are residents of the watershed, as are Henslow's Sparrows, Bobolinks, and Sharp-Shinned Hawks.  Aside from an abundance of sport fishes, the Licking boasts of many native darters and turtles.  Black bear are still sighted in the Daniel Boone National Forest, which occupies the Knobs Region of the Licking River.
 

Our Conservation Strategy
The Conservancy is working to help educate the community about the impacts of activities such as row cropping, livestock production, logging and development to reduce the threats and maintain the river's water quality.  We strive to use the conservation part of the Farm Bill to ease the financial burden to landowners in establishing native prairies or riparian zones.  We also utilize conservation easements and our Conservation Land Buyer Program.

Active partners include: the Kentucky Division of Water, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, Kentucky State Natures Preserves Commission, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, US Army Corps of Engineers, Us Forest Services, Kentucky Division of Forestry, University of Kentucky, Licking River Valley Resources Conservation and Development, as well as numerous private landowners and local governments.

What TNC Has Done/Is Doing
Conservation targets include the aquatic community, riparian areas, upland grassy woodlands, bluegrass savanna community, oxbow wetlands, large bocks of oak-hickory woodlands, and shorts goldenrod sites.  Focus areas for each of these targets have been mapped out and landowner contacts will be concentrated in those areas.

Projects/Preserves/Places to Visit
Buffalo Trace Preserve

Townsend Creek in the South Fork of the Licking River                                                            The Townsend Creek watershed in northwestern Bourbon County covers over 11,038 acres and is an important tributary of the South Fork of the Licking River.  Most of the watershed is rural and consists of farmland and pasture land.  This creek has been 303(d) listed and is a 1st priority stream. The reasons for this listing are due to heavy sedimentation, pathogens in the water, and nutrient overload.  These impairments have resulted in poor water quality and make the watershed unsafe for recreational opportunities such as fishing, and swimming.  Most of the riparian zone of Townsend Creek and its tributaries is pasture land which makes this creek susceptible to large amounts of sediment, nutrients and pathogens that flow with water run off into the creek.  These areas along the stream are also unfenced and high use areas for cattle which lead to fecal coliform contamination and sedimentation.  Other impairments are channel instability and stream degradation, which directly result from loss of riparian zone vegetation; bank trampling, in-stream habitat destruction and nutrient enrichment by cattle/livestock; and row cropping too close to the stream channel.

The Nature Conservancy has received federal grant funding that is available to landowners to address water quality and improve farm operations.  The funds were awarded by the Kentucky Division of Water through Section 319 (h) of the Clean Water Act.   Landowners in the watershed will receive financial and technical assistance for implementing best management practices that will improve their property and promote better water quality.