The Watersheds Program - Rockcastle River Watershed
Description: The Rockcastle River watershed encompasses 760 square miles in southeastern Kentucky. With almost 1,800 miles of streams the Rockcastle River has a number of large tributaries including Cane Creek, Sinking Creek, Skegg Creek, Horse Lick Creek, Roundstone Creek, Pond Creek, Middle Fork of Rockcastle and South Fork of Rockcastle. Sixteen miles of the lower Rockcastle River are designated as a Kentucky Wild River. In addition, there are numerous miles of Outstanding Resource Water due to the presence of federally endangered mussels including: Cumberland Bean mussel (Villosa trabalis) and Little-wing pearlymussel (Pegias fabula). Two reservoirs, Lake Linville and Wood Creek Lake, serve as important sources of drinking water.
Most of the Rockcastle River watershed lies in the proclamation area of the Daniel Boone National Forest. For this reason the steep topography found in the lower reaches of the Rockcastle, are largely wooded. The wider valleys and ridge tops are used extensively for farming activity and increasingly residential development. Interstate 75 bisects the watershed and the larger communities of London and Mt. Vernon are located along the interstate corridor.
Know what the major Cumberland River pollutant is? Well, it is the DIRT and
the other "stuff" from our yards, our roofs and our driveways that runs off
every time we have a good rain.
If we all kept our dirt in our own yards, the river would be a lot healthier
and safer for everyone.
Visit the Sediment page to learn more about Muddy Waters and what YOU can do
to keep your dirt at home.
