KWA's 13th annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival premiered in-person Thursday,  June 17 at the Sauerbeck Family Drive-In in LaGrange, KY. Simultaneously, the virtual festival experience took place from June 17-June 22. 120 individuals attended our drive-in experience, and 60 households watched the virtual experience. At the drive-in we had several different organizations present: Beargrass Creek Alliance, Forecastle Foundation, Quest Outdoors, Kentuckiana Air Education, Louisville Grows, Jefferson County Soil and Water Conservation District, Kentucky Natural Lands Trust, Kentucky Conservation Committee, and Louisville Climate Action Network.

KWA Artist in Residence, Albertus Gorman, the Artist at Exit 0, was on site constructing a live sculptural exhibit. He had several different works on display, including his Waterfoul or Plastic Quackery Collection. 

We were thrilled to be able to reconnect with KWA members, both new and old, and to celebrate by watching 10 environmental and adventure films together. Our guest emcee, Angie Fenton of Extol Magazine & Media, did a fabulous job introducing the films and sharing her personal connection to our natural world. 

Two creek cleanup events were held on Beargrass Creek Saturday,  January 30, 2021.

The Butchertown Neighborhood Association organized their cleanup event on Beargrass Creek at the Karen Lynch Park next to the Beargrass Flood Pumping Station. Huge thanks to Joe Bringardner and Michael Logsdon of Butchertown Neighborhood Association who helped to make this event a huge success. Four trucks were donated by volunteers and a total of seven truckloads of trash and debris were removed.

The Friends of the Forecastle Foundation organized a cleanup in Cherokee Park near Big Rock, a popular location for recreation. A special thank you to the #naturallyawesome Sylvia Holden, Kassi Cawood, Jerry Scrogham, and Liz Vail for making this happen. 

Here’s what you need to know about the CARES Act, and how you and others may be able to use it to maximize charitable giving to KWA when it means the most.
On March 27, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law to help combat the far-reaching impacts of COVID-19. The bill may provide increased tax incentives for charitable giving for some donors, but these benefits apply only in the 2020 tax year, so you must act by December 31, 2020.

First, donors who itemize can deduct cash contributions to KWA and most other public charities to offset up to 100% of their income. Ordinarily, this income tax charitable deduction for cash gifts is limited to 60% of income. The 100% limit allows especially generous donors to reduce their 2020 federal income tax to zero. Existing carry-over rules still apply, so those who are even more generous can carry forward unused cash contribution deductions for up to five years.  This makes it easier for our most generous supporters to make a gift of a lifetime to KWA.
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If you don’t itemize, you can take the standard deduction AND reduce your taxable income by up to $300 for gifts of cash to public charities by using an “above the line” adjustment.

Answers to few questions regarding the CARES Act and giving:

Can a donor age 70½ or older still make a gift to KWA from an IRA?
Yes. Most required minimum distributions (RMDs) from retirement plans have been eliminated for 2020; however, donors age 70½ or older can still make a qualified charitable distribution (QCD, or IRA charitable rollover) of up to $100,000 to KWA from their IRA. While the benefit of using a QCD to satisfy an RMD does not apply for 2020, a QCD remains a great way to make tax advantageous gifts, especially if the donor doesn’t itemize deductions.

Does the CARES Act have any impact on corporate giving?
Yes. The CARES Act increases the cap on how much corporations may deduct for charitable gifts from 10 percent of taxable income to 25 percent.

Does the CARES Act apply to any gifts other than “cash”?
No. The increased limits are applicable only to cash donations. Contributions of any kind of property, including marketable securities, real assets or otherwise, do not qualify.

Who should KWA supporters contact if they have questions?
We advise donors to check with their tax advisor to learn more about how the CARES Act may specifically apply to their tax situation.  We would also be happy to have a conversation.

We know that our supporters have important priorities for their families and loved ones, and that their health and financial well-being comes first. We are here to help shape a charitable gift plan that suits a donor’s needs and allows them to keep supporting our important work. Please contact Charlotte Caldwell, our Director of Donor and Community Relations, at [email protected].

Thanks again for your generous support of Kentucky Waterways Alliance.

This information does not constitute legal or financial advice. Consult your financial advisor and obtain professional counsel of an attorney to assist you in making a gift in a way that will benefit the people and organizations you care most about.

After three years, dam removal is paying off
Over Thanksgiving weekend 2016, the structure named Lock and Dam 6 on the Green River failed, meaning it cracked open to let the water run through. This failure of the century-old structure led to a success for paddlers, anglers, and the ecology of the longest river within Kentucky’s borders. KWA was a part of the team that had been planning to remove three dams from the Green and Barren
Rivers and now had our chance to get the first one out. In April 2017, the structure was completely removed and approximately 10 miles of Green River was free flowing again.

Biodiverse Green
The Green River drainage in central Kentucky is one of the most biologically diverse rivers in the Southeast United States, with over 150 species of fish, over 70 species of mussels, and 25 species
of crayfish. Dozens of these species are considered unique and imperiled, such as the stargazing
minnow (Phenocobius uranops), fanshell mussel (Cyprogenia stegaria), and bottlebrush
crayfish (Barbicambarus cornutus). Unfortunately, a series of navigational dams have existed within the lower half of the mainstem of the Green River for over 100 years, which has impacted the
ecosystem.

Dam Damages
There are nearly 90,000 dams in the U.S.; approximately 1,100 are in Kentucky. Although dams have provided benefits in navigation, flood control, and recreation, their presence within the waterways has been profoundly negative on the natural aquatic fauna, water quality, habitat, and hydrology. Dams disrupt the connectivity of streams and rivers, fragment populations, alter hydrology and
sediment transport, and decrease water quality. Overall, dams are considered one of the most
substantial threats to riverine ecosystems, often resulting in decreased biodiversity and shifts in ecological functions.

The removal of dams has increased over the last couple of decades in the United States as the purpose, need, and integrity of the infrastructures has decreased. Dams have become viewed more as liabilities and ecological hazards than as beneficial entities, and a shift in focus towards river restoration, species conservation, and sustainability has propelled the removal of them. Approximately 1,200 dams have been removed in the U.S., with 4 dams removed in Kentucky. Although it is perceived that the removal of dams is beneficial to the river ecosystem, less than 10% of the dams removed in the U.S. have been monitored and assessed to document the benefits obtained from the removals. Given the diversity and importance of the Green River, the removal of the old, obsolete, and hazardous dams within the drainage are a priority for resource managers.
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More Dams to Fall
When lock and dam #6 (Dam 6) was removed, it was the first step in a process that began years
before with studies and permitting projects that allowed for the removal of Dams 5 and 6 on the Green River and Barren River Dam 1. KWA and partners US Fish & Wildlife Service, US Army Corps
of Engineers, Kentucky Fish & Wildlife, and The Nature Conservancy are working on plans to
remove the remaining two dams, which will set free much more of these beautiful, biodiverse rivers for those of us that love them and the wildlife that depend on the rivers for their home.

Comeback Story
Since 2017, the Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves (KNP) has led the monitoring effort of the response and recovery of the river following the removal of Dam 6 and the pending removal of Dam 5. The ecological assessment project studies how the fish, mussel, macroinvertebrate, riparian zone vegetation, and instream habitat are changing within 45 miles of the river corridor impacted, downstream and upstream, of the Green River dams. The project aims to document and measure the ecological response of the river ecosystem over time and determine whether diversity and ecological quality have improved.
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Each component of the study is in different stages of data processing and is ongoing, but survey efforts so far have encountered 66 species of fish and 35 species of mussels, with four federally listed species, such as sheepnose (Plethobasus cyphyus) and rough pigtoe (Pleurobema plenum). Preliminary results indicate habitats and diversity are greater in the segments of river that resemble more natural conditions. In addition, downstream of Dam 5 several fish species, such as American eel (Anguiila rostrata), blue sucker

(Cycleptus elongatus), and bowfin (Amia calva) occur, but are rare or absent upstream of the dam. It is anticipated their dispersal and abundance would increase further upstream once Dam 5 is removed. The mussel community was indicative of the hydrology of the river and has been dominated by species tolerant of pool habitat upstream of the dams. The vegetation surveys indicated the newly exposed bank channel was in early succession, although unique ecological communities were discovered in some sections of river minimally disturbed by the dams.

Monitoring efforts will continue for many years to come as the river changes and stabilizes to the new hydrological changes, but early results are encouraging that the river will achieve a degree of recovery. For more information on the Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves’ projects see annual reports here. ​

The University of Connecticut (UConn), as part of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) national research program, requests volunteers to participate in a brief survey and choice experiment on how individuals value the services that farmers provide to improve water quality in the Ohio River Basin. By implementing best management practices (BMPs), such as planting cover crops, managing animal waste, and other BMPs, farmers can reduce the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus that enters rivers and waterways. Water quality in the Ohio River Basin's rivers and streams can depend on citizens supporting farmers' services. 
This UConn study aims to obtain information about your preference for water quality credits and the associated environmental co-benefits. Your participation would provide data that would enable us to measure the economic value of these credits and their environmental benefits.

To show our appreciation for your effort, we will be giving a $10 electronic gift card to the first 400 respondents, via the email you provide at the end of the survey.  However, this will be subject to a verification process to ensure we send only a single gift card per individual and, also, to verify our respondents are humans rather than computerized "robots" responses generated by computer hackers. In addition, you have an opportunity to receive $100 that would be a part of your income if you are randomly selected from one (1) out of twenty (20) participants. In our survey, you can use this income for your personal expenses, buy water quality credits with their associated co-benefits, or support other environmental or charitable organizations. Your sincere opinion is appreciated.

We want to assure you that every response we receive would be kept confidential. We would only use the aggregated data collected from all participants to conduct our project analysis and publish our findings. The survey will take approximately 20-25 minutes to complete for most people, in our experience. Your participation is highly appreciated. 

​Please click here if you would like to participate in the survey. 
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If you have any questions about this study or your rights as an intended research participant, we would be happy to talk with you and answer all your questions. Kindly contact Eniola through this email: [email protected] 

KWA is excited to be embarking on several partnerships to help increase recreational access to the Red River. A recently awarded Wild and Scenic Stewardship Partnership grant from River Network will support KWA’s partnership with the U.S. Forest Service out of Daniel Boone National Forest to restore the canoe access at Big Branch Canoe Launch on the Upper Red River. The effort will celebrate KY’s only nationally protected Wild & Scenic River through streambank restoration, environmental education, and cleanups for river health and enjoyment for more people now and in the future.
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Led by the Friends of Red River, a KWA-affiliated local watershed group dedicated to increasing water quality and navigability in the Red River, a new canoe launch is slated to be constructed in Rosslyn, KY to access the Red River. This is made possible by partnering with Powell County Fiscal Court and Shiloh United Methodist Church and is funded by the Kentucky River Authority, Stanton Tourism and Stanton Parks & Recreation.

We are excited to announce that Kentucky Waterways Alliance and U.S.Forest Service-Daniel Boone National Forest are continuing our partnership to protect, restore and celebrate the Red River in eastern Kentucky. We received a Wild & Scenic Rivers Stewardship Partnership grant from River Network that will be used toward streambank restoration, environmental education, and cleanups for river health and enjoyment for more people now and in the future. Mitigation work will take place at Big Branch Canoe Launch, the upper-most-public-Red-River launch site and recreation area. Stay tuned for progress reports!
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See River Network’s recent blog post announcing awardees here.​

The Kentucky Waterways Alliance (KWA) and Kentucky Association for Environmental Education (KAEE) are seeking an enthusiastic individual with a passion for the missions of our organizations. This position is a unique opportunity to be part of a new partnership between KWA and KAEE to advance water education and water literacy throughout Kentucky.  If you enjoy educating others, would like to have a significant impact, and work with two amazing teams, we encourage you to apply! Read the full position description here. ​Application portal can be found here.

Questions about this opportunity can be emailed to [email protected]