An Official Website of the Commonwealth of Kentucky
Planning and Protection Division of Water
The Kentucky Division of Water is tasked with the management, protection, and enhancement of the quality and quantity of the Commonwealth's water resources. To achieve this, the Division houses multiple voluntary, regulatory, and educational programs. Explore the links below to learn more about DOW's protection and enforcement efforts.
Dam Safety and Floodplain Management maintains a list of these structures in an inventory database for the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
The capacity development program helps public drinking water systems improve or optimize their technical, managerial and financial framework so they can provide safe drinking water in a consistent and cost-effective manner.
Sediment washing into streams is one of the biggest water quality problems in Kentucky. Sediment muddies up the water, kills or weakens fish and other organisms, and ruins wildlife habitat. It is not difficult to reduce erosion and prevent sediment from leaving construction sites.
Preventing groundwater pollution is every Kentuckian's concern. The Kentucky Division of Water aims to encourage Groundwater Protection through both education, reporting, and application of Groundwater Protection Plans (GPP).
The Healthy Watershed Program focuses on protecting essential habitats that support a wide range of plant and animal species, promoting ecosystem stability, preserving biodiversity, and enhancing resilience to environmental changes.
Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution is a major contributor of pollutants in Kentucky's waterways.
Along with 11 other states, Kentucky is working to develop a strategy to manage nutrients which are creating a hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a widely used group of chemicals that have been found in the environment and may have harmful health effects. Researchers and state and federal agencies continue to investigate the potential health effects, levels of PFAS in the environment, and management options.
Source Water Protection programs have been developed to assist Public Water Suppliers in protecting surface, spring or groundwater sources.
The TMDL program focuses on identifying and restoring polluted Kentucky waterbodies such as rivers, lakes and streams.
Resources for Public Water Systems, Consumers, and Decision-makers to conserve water
Learn more about water resource development in Kentucky, including the Water Resource Information System (WRIS) and the Water Resources Board.
A watershed approach to managing water resources emphasizes holistic practices by engaging communities, science and technology to identify and prioritize problems and then to develop effective strategies to address those problems.
The Wastewater Municipal Planning Section (WMPS) reviews 20-year regional planning documents for municipal (public) facilities. Reviewers look for efficiency through regionalization and application of the best available technology with the primary focus on preventing municipal water pollution.
Wetlands are a critical component of our Commonwealth's water resources. In addition to reducing flood damage and water pollution, they provide opportunities for wildlife-related recreation.