Kentucky Watershed Watch

On a misty Saturday morning, volunteers gather along the Kentucky River, test kits in hand, ready to wade into the shallows. They’re teachers, farmers, students, retirees - neighbors united by a shared love for clean water. As they collect samples, record data, and compare results, they’re doing more than science, they’re protecting home.

For nearly three decades, thousands of Kentuckians have volunteered through Kentucky Watershed Watch (KWW) to monitor and protect their local streams, creeks, and rivers. Together, we’ve collected more than 30,000 water samples at creeks across the state —building an extensive citizen-science database. Our work has helped identify pollution sources, informed cleanup efforts, and inspired community action to make Kentucky’s creeks healthier for people and wildlife alike.

But the future of this vital work is uncertain. For many years, Kentucky Watershed Watch relied on state support to coordinate volunteer training and data analysis. That support has been dramatically reduced. Today, we depend almost entirely on individual donations and small grants to keep the program running.

Your gift can keep Kentucky’s waterways watched—and protected.

When you give, you’re not just supporting water monitoring. You’re empowering Kentuckians to take care of their own communities, ensuring that every child, farmer, and family has access to clean, safe water.

Every drop matters. Every donation does too.  Join us in keeping Kentucky’s waters healthy for the next generation.