The Kentucky Division of Water is pleased to announce the release of its 2014 Annual Report. This annual report includes highlights and accomplishments for the following branches within the division:
- Compliance and Technical Assistance Branch
- Resource Planning and Program Support Branch
- Surface Water Permits Branch
- Water Infrastructure Branch
- Watershed Management Branch
- Water Quality Branch
The division continues to implement its core responsibilities to (1) protect, manage and restore water resources; (2) conduct effective water resources planning; (3) meet federal and state program requirements; and (4) promote better management and communication of data.
Highlights from 2014 include:
- The division began revising three existing state drinking water regulations in February 2014.
- One hundred eighteen dams now have Emergency Action Plans (EAPs). The division continues developing EAPs for those high hazard dams lacking such plans.
- A new state wastewater laboratory certification program became effective September 2013.
- In cooperation with the Department for Natural Resources, the division conducted compliance evaluation inspections of coal facilities with regard to water quality of outfall effluent and receiving streams.
- Field inspectors investigated a total of 1,600 water-related citizen complaints. The division conducted 4,493 inspections in the areas of wastewater, storm water, drinking water, oil and gas, animal feeding operations, and coal.
- The division has developed the Kentucky Nutrient Reduction Strategy to identify sources of nutrients in Kentucky, methods of addressing nutrients, and source-specific strategies for nutrient reduction in priority watersheds.
- The division worked to issue six general permits this year, including permits for abandoned mine lands, aviation facilities, concrete and asphalt products and paving facilities, non-coal mineral mining and processing, and coal mining and processing in the eastern and western Kentucky coal fields.
The 2014 report and all previous annual reports are available at http://water.ky.gov/Pages/AnnualReports.aspx.