Kywatersheds.org is the Web site for Kentucky’s Watershed Management Framework. The Kentucky Watershed Framework serves as a means for coordinating and integrating the programs, tools and resources of stakeholders to better protect, maintain and restore the ecological composition, structure and function of watersheds and to support the sustainable uses of watersheds for the people of the Commonwealth. 

The Framework is overseen by a statewide Watershed Steering Committee, convened by the Kentucky Division of Water. A list of Steering Committee partners is available; meeting minutes are also available.

The Framework takes each basin management unit through a five-year activity cycle of (1) data gathering, (2) analysis, (3) targeting, (4) planning and (5) implementation. Each basin’s progress is overseen by a multi-party basin team, which is facilitated by a basin coordinator. Partners providing significant resources for basin coordinators include the Kentucky River Authority, University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service and the Jackson Purchase RC&D Foundation.

In phases 3 and 4 of the basin cycle, local watershed task forces are established in targeted watersheds. These task forces have locally-specific names, such as council, workgroup or conservancy. The task force develops a watershed action plan to implement watershed improvements.