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ENVIRONMENTAL ELEMENT Field. The faults of this system are present in the extreme southern portion of the County. Goal: Encourage development to be sensitive to Bifurcating (dividing into two branches) is specific environmental resources and common with mildly southward convexing, constraints and the general surrounding intersecting bands. These bow-shaped bands are natural conditions. usually no more than two miles wide.

Goal: Promote energy efficiency and Major geologic outcroppings include the conservation on a community-wide basis. Caseyville Formation, the Tradewater Formation, the Carbondale Formation, and the McCleansboro Goal: Comply with Phase II of the National Group. The Caseyville Formation shows up as Pollutant Discharge Elimination System outcrop in the southwestern most edge of the (NPDES) storm water program. County. According to the Kentucky Geologic Survey, the Caseyville Formation’s upper boundary is not clearly defined in Hopkins Hopkins County is located within the Western County due to the absence of Bell and Hawesville Kentucky Coal Field, an important natural region coals and the lack of development of a thick, in Kentucky (Environmental [ENV] Map 1). The upper Caseyville sandstone. The thickness of the County encompasses 554 square miles of Caseyville Formation is highly variable due to the intermingled rolling hills and broad alluvial irregularity of the surface on which it was valleys. Elevations range from 400 feet to 700 deposited. It may range from greater than 600 feet atop some of the ridges. feet to less than 400 feet thick. Its sandstones have been important sources for natural gas, oil, GEOLOGY AND GEOLOGIC RESOURCES tar sands, and water. This formation contains the 1The bedrock layers of Hopkins County consist of following named units: Kyrock sandstone, Nolin Pennsylvanian age limestones, sandstones, shales, coal, Breckinridge coal, Battery Rock sandstone, and a few sandstone conglomerates which range Battery Rock coal, and Bee Spring and Pound from middle Lower Pottsville, through Allegheny, sandstones. up to the upper Conemaugh series. Alluviums, clays and silts from Pleistocene and Recent age, The Tradewater Formation outcrops along the ranging in depth to over 100 feet, fill the valley southern and western portion of Hopkins County. floors. Its upper boundary is located at the base of the Davis coal bed and on top of the Yeargins A monocline can be found tilting northeast toward Limestone. While this formation ranges in the Western Kentucky Geo-syncline’s trough, and thickness from less than 400 feet to more than 600 a number of faults strike across the county in a feet, it is less variable than that of the Caseyville northeast direction (ENV Map 2). These are part Formation. The rocks of the Tradewater of the Central and Pennyrile Fault Systems. The Formation are of a transitional nature between the Central Fault System extends about 50 miles Caseyville and Carbondale Formations. across the County and into neighboring McClean Limestones of the Tradewater are important as and Caldwell counties. Individual faults in this aquifers and as sources for the production of system rarely extend over a few miles. These hydrocarbons. It is not uncommon to find faults are high-angle normal faults with maximum limestone beds above coal beds in the Tradewater displacement of 600 feet. Formations. The following units are present in the Tradewater Formation: Bell coal, Hawesville The Pennyrile Fault System represents the coal, Deanfield coal, Finnie and Grindstaff southern boundary of the Western Kentucky Coal sandstones, Ice House coal, Amos and Foster coal zone, Aberdeen coal and sandstone, Elm Lick 1 coal, Dunbar/Lead Creek coal, Lead Creek Information obtained from the Kentucky Geological Survey and from the Hopkins County Comprehensive Limestone Member, Empire coal, Plan 1993. Manning/Mining City/Lewisport coal, Curlew

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http://www.uky.edu/KentuckyAtlas/kentucky-atlasp.html ENV Map 2 Geologic Faults Hopkins County Area

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Prepared by: Legend HCJPC December 2003 Faults Source: http://kygeonet.ky. gov/metadataexplorer/ & PADD 222000222333 CCCOOOMMMPPPRRREEEHHHEEENNNSSSIIIVVVEEE PPPLLLAAANNN::: BBBrrriiidddgggiiinnnggg HHHooopppkkkiiinnnsss CCCooouuunnntttyyy

Limestone Member, and Yeargins Limestone Livingston Limestone. The subsequent geologic Member. features exist in the Mattoon Formation; Geiger Lake coal, Dixon sandstone, Vanderburg The Carbondale Formation outcrops in Hopkins sandstone, Mt. Gilead sandstone, and Sulfur County in the area just north of the Tradewater Springs coal. Formation. The lower boundary of the Carbondale is at the base of the Davis coal in the Hopkins County’s primary geologic resource is Madisonville District and at the top of the bituminous coal that has been mined extensively. Yeargins Limestone where the Davis coal is not The primary seams of importance are as follows: present. The upper boundary is at the base of the Nos. 9, 11, 12, and 14. A secondary geologic Providence Limestone and at the top of the Herin resource is residual and transported clay suitable coal when the Providence Limestone is not for brick making. Other geologic resources such present. The Carbondale formation exceeds 400 as oil have been found in the northern area of the feet in a fairly uniform thickness throughout the county while outcrops of low-grade bituminous formation. It contains the following geologic coals that may be useful as road surfacing material units: Davis coal, Dekoven coal, Sebree have been found in southern Hopkins County. sandstone, Colchester coal, Survant coal, Houchin Creek coal, Springfield coal, Briar Hill coal, and SOILS Herin coal. The U.S. Natural Resource Conservation Service divides the soils of Hopkins County into nine The Sturgis Formation, now referred to as the major associations by three groups: soils formed McCleansboro Group, is found outcropping in alluvium on flood plains and stream terraces, throughout the majority of the County. The upper soils formed in loess on uplands, and soils formed boundary is located at the base of the Mauzy mainly in a loess mantle and in the underlying Formation. A large amount of the McCleansboro material from sandstone and shale. ENV Map 3 Group has been eroded, but the Kentucky displays the general location of these associations. Geological Survey reports that the original thickness was more than 2,650 feet. This group Soils Formed in Alluvium on Flood Plains and contains four formations: Shelburn Formation, Stream Terraces Patoka Formation, Bond Formation, and Mattoon This class of soils associations contains nearly Formation. level soils located in broad valleys and includes: Belknap-Waverly, Karnak-McGary-Belknap, The upper boundary of the Patoka formation is the Bonnie-Steff-Stendal, and Bonnie-Karnak. These Carthage Limestone and the lower boundary is the soils are predominantly formed in water deposited West Franklin Limestone. The following material that range from silty clay to silt loam. geologic units are present in the Patoka Formation: W. Ky. No. 15 coal, W. Ky. No. 16 The Belknap-Waverly association makes up about coal, and W. Ky. No. 17 coal. 4% of the County. These soils are located on the floodplains of Deer, Drakes, Elk, Flat, Otter, and The Bond Formation’s upper boundary is the base Weirs Creeks in the mid to southern section of the of the Carthage Limestone, and its lower County. They are deep, medium-textured, and in boundary is the top of the Livingston Limestone, general, poorly drained. Wetness is the main which is discontinuous in Kentucky. The Bond limitation in farming this area, and most of the Formation contains the following geologic units: poorer drained areas are left wooded. Most of the Carthage Limestone Member, Mt. Carmel rest of the association is used for farming, and sandstone, Lisman coal and Livingston artificial drainage is used in many areas to Limestone. alleviate the wetness problem. Corn and soybeans are the main cash crops grown here. The location of the upper boundary of the Mattoon Formation is the base of the Mauzy The Karnak-McGary-Belknap association is Formation and its lower boundary is the top of the dominant in about 10% of the County. These

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Soils Belknap-Waverly (21,514 Acres) Bonnie-Karnak (7,859 Acres) WK Bonnie-Steff-Stendal (15,207 Acres) Karnak-McGary-Belknap (42,812 Acres) Loring-Frondorf-Zanesville (44,716 Acres) Loring-Grenada-Calloway (63,445 Acres) Strip mine-Frondorf (43,168 Acres) Prepared by: Zanesville-Frondorf-Belknap (93,002 Acres) HCJPC Zanesville-Sadler (23,193 Acres) December 2003 Source: PADD 222000222333 CCCOOOMMMPPPRRREEEHHHEEENNNSSSIIIVVVEEE PPPLLLAAANNN::: BBBrrriiidddgggiiinnnggg HHHooopppkkkiiinnnsss CCCooouuunnntttyyy soils are deep and poorly drained to somewhat The Loring-Grendada-Calloway association is poorly drained and range in texture from fine to dominant in about 19% of Hopkins County in a medium. This association is located along the broad, inconsistent band across the lower northern eastern edge of the County bordering the Pond half of the County. These soils are located in River and has a width of approximately one- gently rolling areas characterized by broad quarter mile in the southern section and ridgetops, short sideslopes, and nearly level approximately four mile in the northern section. valleys and are more than four feet thick. These The predominant soils of this association form in deep soils are moderately well drained to loamy alluvium, high in silt content, and in somewhat poorly drained with most having a clayey, slack-water. Wetness is the main inhibitor layer that restricts water and air movement. These to utilization of the area of this association. nearly level to sloping soils are well suited for Artificial drainage is being used to make land most of the crops grown locally, such as corn, useful for farming. Over half of this association is soybeans, hay, and tobacco. This is the most being used for farming, mainly cash-grain farming densely populated and industrialized area of the with corn and soybeans as the major crops. County. Wetness and flooding prohibit most nonfarm uses with the exception of a tile and brick factory Soils Formed Mainly in Loess Mantle and in which uses clay from the subsoil. the Underlying Material from Sandstone and Shale The Bonnie-Steff-Stendal association accounts for This group of soil associations includes: Loring- about 3% of the County’s soils and contains deep, Frondorf-Zanesville, the strip mine-Frondorf, the poorly drained to moderately well drained soils Zonesville-Sadler, and the Zanesville-Frondorf- and is located along the flood plain of the Belknap associations. The soils of these upland Tradewater River and the upper reaches of Caney associations range from nearly level to steep. and Clear Lick Creeks in the Midwest and Although most of these soils are formed in the southern part of the County. More than 50% of thin areas indicated by the title given to this group this association is woodland, some of which is of associations, some of the soils are formed in a ponded year-round and much of which is flooded deep loess layer more than four feet thick. during the winder and spring. The wetness of the area is very inhibiting, and little artificial drainage The Loring-Frondorf-Zanesville association is is being done due to a lack of suitable outlets. composed of moderately deep to deep soils that Due to the severity of the wetness problem, most range from moderately well drained to well of the area is suitable only as woodland, or drained. These gently sloping to steep soils are wetland habitat. located mainly in the northern portion of the County along wooded hills that are characterized The Bonnie-Karnak association makes up about by narrow ridges and valleys. This association 1% of Hopkins County and are fine to medium covers approximately 20 percent of Hopkins textured soils. It is located mainly on flood plains County with medium-textured and moderately in alluvium and clayey slack-water deposits in the fine textured soils. westernmost portion of Hopkins County. This association is dominantly marshy, ponded, and The Loring-Frondorf-Zanesville is mostly wooded wooded and is characterized by late winter and with a few ridges and valleys being utilized for spring flooding. Most of this area is not crops, such as corn, soybeans, hay, and pasture. favorable to artificial drainage, thus only a small The main limitation to agriculture is erosion due portion has been cleared for crops and pasture. to the steep slopes. Nevertheless, these areas can be utilized for limited homesites, wooded parks, Soils Formed in Loess on Uplands picnic areas, and other recreational uses, as well This class of soil association contains nearly level as for timber production. to sloping soils which are located on uplands and are predominantly formed in wind-deposited The Strip Mine-Frondorf associations make up material which is high in silt content. about 9% of the County. This association

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contains moderately deep to deep soils that are treated and managed according to acceptable well drained and moderately steep to steep and is farming methods, including water management. characterized by knolls of spoil material from These lands have an adequate and dependable strip mine sprawling across the landscape water supply from precipitation or irrigation, a intermingled with narrow wooded bands. These favorable temperature and growing season, soils are formed by weathering acid sandstone and acceptable acidity or alkalinity, acceptable salt shale material. This association is mainly used for and sodium content, and few to no rocks. They coal mining with a few farms that are mostly used are permeable to water and air, are not excessively as part-time general farms. The majority of this erodible or saturated with water for a long period association is wooded or spoil slopes that support of time, and they either do not flood frequently or timber production and woodland wildlife habitat. are protected from flooding.”2

The Zanesville-Sadler association contains deep, Approximately 25% to 49% of Hopkins County is medium textured soils. These soils are gently classified as prime farmland, making it one of sloping to moderately steep and are moderately thirty-six counties in this classification. Prime well drained to well drained. This association farmland is becoming increasingly rare in covers approximately 8% of Hopkins County and Kentucky. In an effort to protect prime and other is located in gently rolling areas such as broad farmland in Kentucky the state has passed the ridgetops, short sideslopes, and nearly level Agricultural District Act in 1982. As a result, 159 valleys. A major use for this association is districts have been formed in 42 counties. farming with corn, soybeans, tobacco, hay, and Hopkins County’s farmers have taken advantage pasture being the main crops. Limitations in this of the opportunity to protect their farmland by association include the hazard of erosion and creating or joining sixteen agricultural districts wetness. Artificial drainage may be utilized to within the County. (Agriculture districts are curtail these limiting effects. Many of these areas outlined in the Land Use Element). are adequate for homesites; however, much of this association is utilized for strip mining and deep Other Protection mining. Conservation Districts, a subdivision of the state government, support and develop projects which The Zanesville-Frondorf-Belknap association promote conservation. There are 121 districts in covers about 26% of the County and is composed the state, including Hopkins County, which elect of moderately deep to deep soils of medium seven volunteer supervisors. These supervisors texture. These soils are located on long narrow provide the district with leadership in farmland ridges, on moderately steep to steep wooded hills, conservation practices. and in narrow valleys. This association is mostly wooded, but some ridges and valleys have been WILDLIFE AND VEGETATION cleared for cultivation of crops such as corn, Wildlife soybeans, hay, and pasture. A large portion of the The USDA NRCS classifies three types of association is owned by coal companies, and coal wildlife in Hopkins County: openland wildlife, is mined here. The sloping to gently sloping soils woodland wildlife, and wetland wildlife. are suitable for homesites and industry. The area Openland wildlife in Hopkins County includes the also has potential for timber production, wildlife following: quail, meadowlark, field sparrow, habitat, and recreational purposes-the western dove, cottontail rabbit, red fox, and woodchuck. Kentucky 4-H Camp is located at Dawson Croplands, pastures, meadows, lawns, and areas Springs. overgrown with shrubs and grasses are the preferred homes of these birds and mammals. PRIME FARMLAND According to the Department of Agriculture, Woodland wildlife includes birds and mammals prime farmland has “the soil quality, growing such as thrush, woodcock, scarlet tanager, vireo, season, and moisture supply needed to produce economically sustained high yields of crops when 2 SSM, USDA Handbook No. 18, October 1993

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Wetlands such as ponds, marshes, and swamps Coniferous plants are cone-bearing evergreens, provide a habitat for several types of wildlife as including both trees and shrubs, which provide well. Birds, amphibians, vertebrates, and cover and some nourishment for wildlife. Among mammals that usually make their home in the the species in this category are Norway spruce, wetlands of Hopkins County include ducks, geese, Virginia pine, loblolly pine, shortleaf pine, white rails, and herons, as well as shore birds and pine, Scotch pine, and red cedar. muskrat. The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources manages 61 wildlife The wetland plants category consists of wild, management areas in 72 Kentucky Counties under herbaceous, annual, and perennial plants which its statutory authority to protect and conserve grow in moist areas but are not submerged or wildlife for future generations. aquatic. Among the wetland plants in Hopkins County are smartweed, wild millet, pondweed, Vegetation duckweed, duckmillet, sedges, barnyard grass, The USDA NRCS has divided the vegetation of bulrush, arrow-arum, pickerelweed, phragmites or Hopkins County into six major groups: grains and common reed, water willow wetland grasses, seed crops, domestic grasses and legumes, wild wildrice, cattails, water lilies, and sweet flags. herbaceous plants, hardwoods, coniferous plants, and wetland plants. The major crops of the grain Other Habitats and seed category include corn, sorghum, wheat, Shallow water areas, usually not over five feet in popcorn, and soybeans. Tobacco is also a major depth, provide cover and food for wetland crop. wildlife. These areas may be natural or created such as when marshes and streams are subjected Domestic grasses and legumes present in the to dams, levees, and water-control devices. They County consist of perennial grasses and include areas such as beaver ponds, muskrat herbaceous legumes which are established by ponds, wildlife ponds, waterfowl feeding areas, planting and which provide food and shelter to and wildlife water developments. wildlife. Some examples are fescue, timothy, orchard grass, clover, and lespedeza. Endangered Species The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Wild herbaceous plants are native or introduced Resources has compiled a list of threatened and perennial grasses and weeds. Indiangrass, little endangered species within Kentucky. This listing bluestem, big bluestem, quackgrass, goldenrod, is from the federally identified species list and is wild carrot, nightshade, and dandelion are the outlined in ENV Table 1. major types of wild herbaceous plants found in Hopkins County. ENV Table 1 “E” represents Endangered; “T” represents Threatened; “PE” represents Proposed Endangered; “PT” represents Proposed Hardwood trees are nonconiferous trees, shrubs, Threatened and wood vines which bear fruit, nuts, buds, TYPE NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME STATUS catkins, twigs, or foliage that is edible by wildlife Plant Price’s potato- Apios priceana T bean and are usually naturally established. Hardwoods Plant Braun’s rock Arabis perstellata E present in Hopkins County are oak, cherry, maple, cress var. perstellata poplar, apple, dogwood, hawthorn, sweetgum, Plant Cumberland Conradina verticillata T rosemary hickory, sassafras, persimmon, black walnut, and Plant Eggert’s Helianthus eggertii T sumac. Other hardwoods present are bayberry, sunflower blueberry, huckleberry, blackshaw, viburnum, Plant Cumberland Minuartia E sandwort cumberlandensis grape, and briers. This category also includes Plant White-haired Solidago albopilosa T several fruit-bearing shrubs raised commercially. goldenrod

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Plant Short’s Solidago shortii E River. Major lakes within the County are Loch goldenrod 3 Plant Virginia Spiraea virginiana T Mary, Grapevine Lake and Lake Pewee. Spiraes Plant Running Trifolium E Within the Green River basin and the Tradewater buffalo clover stoloniferum Mussels Cumberland Alasmidonta E River basin areas that encompass Hopkins elktoe atropurpures County, some of the streams that contain Mussels Fanshell Cyprogenia stegaria E pollutants have had those sources of pollutants Mussels Cumberlandian Epioblasma E combshell brevidens identified. Kentucky’s report to Congress on Mussels Oyster mussel Epioblasms E water quality, as referenced in the Green and capsaeformis Tradewater Basins Status Report, dated March Mussels Catspaw Epioblasma obliquata E obliquata 2001, lists streams and their sources of and Mussels Morthern Epioblasms torulosa E pollutants. riffleshell rangiana Mussles Pink mucket Lampsilis abrupta E Mussels Ring pink Obovaria retusa E ENV Table 2 Mussels Little-wing Pegias fibula E Stream Name Source of Pollutants Pollutants pearly mussel Resource Extraction, acid Mussels Orgnae-foot Plethobasus E Cane Run mine drainage pH pimpleback cooperianus Collection system failure, Mussels Clubshell Pleurobema clava E package plants, municipal Mussels Rough pigtoe Pleurobema plenum E Clear Creek point sources Pathogens Mussels Fat pocketbook Potamilus capax E Acid mine drainage, resource Craborchard Creek extraction pH Mussels Cumberland Villosa trabalis E bean Acid mine drainage, industrial point sources, Crustaceans Mammoth cave Palaemonias ganteri E Drakes Creek resource extraction pH, PCBs shrimp Elk Creek Collection System Failure Pathogens Insects American Nicrophorus E urying beetle americanus Resource Extraction, acid mine drainage, collection pH, Fish Relict darter Etheostoma E Flat Creek system failure Pathogens chienense Acid mine drainage, resource Fish Duskytail darter Duskytail darter E Pleasant Run extraction pH Fish Palezone shiner Notropis albizonatus E Surface mining, resource Fish Blackside dace Phoxinus T Sugar Creek extraction pH cumberlandensis Source: Green and Tradewater River Basins Status Report, March Fish Pallid sturgeon Scaphirhynchus albus E 2001 Reptiles Copperbelly Nerodia erythrogaster PT water snake neglecta Birds Bale eagle Haliaeetus T ENV Map 4 depicts the watersheds of Hopkins leucocephalus County. Birds Red-cockaded Picoides borealis E woodpecker Birds Interior least Sterna antillarum E WETLANDS/FLOODPLAINS tern athalassos Wetlands Mammals Virginia big- Corynorhinus E eared bat townsendii Wetlands are areas which contain a predominance virginianus of hydric soils and are inundated or saturated for a Mammals Gray bat Myotis grisescens E sufficient time to allow the development of a Mammals Indiana bat Myotis sodalist E Source: KY Dept of Fish and Wildlife predominantly hydrophytic community. These wetlands are seasonally flooded or ponded and HYDROLOGY frequently provide water to the Green River and The eastern part of the County is drained by Pond Tradewater River stream flows. Wetlands play a River and its tributaries-East Fork Deer Creek, critical role in flood control by slowly releasing Otter Creek, Narge Creek, Elk Creek, Earle water to the rivers after a rain event. During Creek, Flat Creek, and Drakes Creek. The droughts, wetlands help maintain flow levels for western portion of the county is drained by the fisheries and drinking water supplies, as well as Tradewater River and its tributaries-Caney Creek, providing critical habitat for wildlife, filtering out Lick Creek, and Clear Creek. The water from pollutants and helping to sustain watershed health. Pond River flows into the Green River, and the water from Tradewater River flows into the Ohio 3 Kentucky Division of Water

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Watersheds Lambs Creek Brooks Creek Lick Creek Brown Creek McFarland Creek Buffalo Creek Morgan Creek Bull Creek Narge Creek Cany Creek Otter Creek Castleberry Creek Pieburn Creek Clear Creek Pitman Creek Copper Creek Pleasant Run Craborchard Creek Pogue Creek Deer Creek Pond Creek Donaldson Creek Pond River Drakes Creek Reed Creek Earle Creek Richland Creek East Fork Deer Creek Rose Creek WK East Fork of Bull Creek Sugar Creek East Fork of Hurricane Creek Towery Branch Elk Creek Trace Branch Flat Creek Trace Creek Greasy Creek Tradewater River Green River Tyson Branch Hurricane Creek Weirs Creek Prepared by: HCJPC Isaacs Creek West Fork of Bull Creek December 2003 Jennings Creek West Fork of Pond River Source: PADD 222000222333 CCCOOOMMMPPPRRREEEHHHEEENNNSSSIIIVVVEEE PPPLLLAAANNN::: BBBrrriiidddgggiiinnnggg HHHooopppkkkiiinnnsss CCCooouuunnntttyyy

All applicants for federal permits for an activity alterations or relocations, small impoundments, which may result in the discharge of a pollutant and water and wastewater treatment plants. into any regulated state wetland must obtain a Section 401 water quality certification from the The process for obtaining a permit begins with the Division of Water and 404 permit from the U.S. submittal of a completed application with a Army Corps of Engineers. The state must certify location map, plans of the proposed construction, that the materials to be discharged comply with all and the addressing of public notice. If there is effluent limitations, water quality standards, and existing flood data on the proposed site (i.e., other applicable laws and regulations. Types of National Flood Insurance Program flood maps, discharges included under this requirement are Corps of Engineers flood studies, or previous dredged spoil, solid waste, garbage rock, and soil permit data), then a permit review may begin. If but is not limited to those listed. General 404 there is no existing data, the submittal of survey permits can be issued to allow nationwide, state, information is required in order to perform an in- or regional blanket authorization in instances house flood study of the area. For more where the adverse impacts would be minimal. information on permit requirements, please visit Under a general permit, individual permits are not http://www.water.ky.gov/wr/dwflood.htm. required unless the project exceeds the conditions set by the general permit, except in Kentucky As more and more development occurs, land where a Section 401 water quality permit is becomes a premium. Unfortunately, land for required if the activity involves discharging into farming and development is often located in the an acre or more of wetland.4 floodplain. When development occurs there, several problems arise: Floodplain  Risk to people, animals and property Hopkins County contains several low-lying areas during a flood event. subject to flooding. The floodplain limits are  Loss of life. identified in ENV Map 5. The eastern portion of  Loss of dollars. the County contains a significant number of  Increased flooding problems. floodplains along Pond River and its tributaries,  Lack of availability of insurance. including Elk Creek and Otter Creek. In the western half of the County the floodplains are Hopkins County is located within both the Green located along Clear Creek and its major River basin and the Tradewater River basin. tributaries. In the southwestern portion of the Within these two regions are thirty-four counties, County the floodplains are located along of which thirteen have no adopted floodplain Tradewater River’s tributaries, mainly along management programs (although some individual Caney Creek up to the eastern and western city municipalities have enacted ordinances for their limits of Dawson Springs. Surface drainage is a citizens). Throughout Kentucky, ninety-six significant problem in Hopkins County which counties and close to three hundred municipalities contributes to the problem of flooding during and have established a floodplain management after storm events. program that tries to protect the floodplain and minimize threats to people and property. ENV The Floodplain Management Section of the Table 3 identifies the adopted flood hazard Kentucky Division of Water has the primary prevention ordinances within Hopkins County. responsibility for the approval or denial of proposed construction and other activities in the ENV Table 3 100-year floodplain of all streams in the Jurisdiction Adopted Commonwealth. Typical activities permitted are Hopkins County October 1991 dams, bridges, culverts, residential and Dawson Springs March 1996 commercial buildings, placement of fill, stream Earlington June 1991 Hanson January 1999 Madisonville April 1992 Mortons Gap March 1994 4 Kentucky Division of Water

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Floodplain A-SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD AREAS-No base flood elevations determined. AE-SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD AREAS-Base flood elevations determined. Area Not Included. Prepared by: HCJPC X-Areas determined to be outside 500-year flood plain. December 2003 X500-Areas of 500-year flood. Source: PADD 222000222333 CCCOOOMMMPPPRRREEEHHHEEENNNSSSIIIVVVEEE PPPLLLAAANNN::: BBBrrriiidddgggiiinnnggg HHHooopppkkkiiinnnsss CCCooouuunnntttyyy

Nebo No ordinance adopted were previously not required. Industrial Nortonville August 1991 contaminants, municipal wastewater, pollutants St. Charles No ordinance adopted from farm and mine sites, and other pollutants can White Plains No ordinance adopted find their way directly into the underground water Source: Kentucky Division of Water system through unplugged oil and gas wells.

THREATS TO THE GROUNDWATER The U.S. EPA has estimated that approximately The federal Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974 and 25% of the underground storage tanks in its amendments regulate the nation’s public Kentucky are leaking contaminants. Since 1988, drinking water to ensure it is safe for the state has been making efforts to detect consumption. An estimated 3,516,272 underground petroleum storage tank leakage, and Kentuckians (87 percent) now have access to many have been replaced throughout the state. public drinking water provided by 656 public However, underground farm fuel tanks and drinking water systems. But access to pubic heating oil storage tanks are exempt from the drinking water varies greatly by county. About detection and replacement program. 90 percent of the water offered for drinking is supplied by streams, lakes, and reservoirs, with Based on total population and population density, the remainder coming from groundwater sources. Madisonville has been designated as being Pollutants can enter raw drinking water sources in required to comply with the National Pollution a number of ways and come from a variety of Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Phase 2 sources. In Kentucky, polluted runoff from Storm Water Management Program. Therefore, a farmlands, coal mines and discharges from storm water management entity must design a wastewater treatments plants are the greatest local program to reduce the discharge of sources of water pollution. Other pollution pollutants, protect water quality, and satisfy the sources include failing septic systems, sewage appropriate water quality requirements of the straight pipes, waste sites, urban runoff, combined Clean Water Act. This local program must have: sewer overflows, and toxic spills. a comprehensive plan for regulating storm water discharges within their watershed; educate and Threats to the groundwater in Hopkins County involve the public in its administration; and include 9 landfills, and a minimum of 6,795 septic produce evidence that storm water discharges are tanks, 6,120 unplugged wells, 499 underground meeting the standards of the Clean Water Act. storage tanks, 20 potential hazardous waste sites, The local storm water management entity will and 40 underground injection wells (State of have the first five-year cycle (from the Spring of Kentucky’s Environment, Kentucky 2003) to develop, implement, and refine its Environmental Quality Commission). program. Requirements of the second five-year

cycle have not yet been specified. Septic tank systems are the most frequent source of bacterial contamination in groundwater. Drinking water comes from groundwater (wells According to the Kentucky Department of Health and springs) or surface water supplies which are Services, about half of the private drinking wells subject to contamination from discharge and in Kentucky are contaminated with bacteria due to disposal of pollutants from recreational boats, sewage. On-site sewage disposal systems, many leaching from landfills, illegal and unregulated of which were installed prior to 1985 under dumping areas and non-point source conditions that would now be prohibited, are contaminants. potential sources of groundwater contamination in

Hopkins County. Approximately 2,300 people in Hopkins County

rely on private domestic water supplies: 1,200 The Kentucky Department of Mines and Minerals wells and 1,100 other sources. Public water is estimates that there are some 120,000 unplugged provided to over 18,500 homes and about 140 oil and gas wells in the state of Kentucky, but homes will be added to this system through lines there is no way to know for certain since records

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extensions by 2020.5 Public drinking water ENV Graphic 1 utilities are concerned with the quantity and quality of the supply, of which both are greatly 1971-2000 Temperature Summary affected by droughts and upstream activities. Station 155067, Madisonville, KY Public water is treated prior to distribution, but the 100 90 raw water that comes from the well, lake, or river 80 must be of high enough quality to allow safe 70 treatment. The Safe Drinking Water Act requires 60 Max °F that all community water systems annually report 50 Min °F to water users information about the quality of the 40 Mean °F water delivered by the system. 30 20 10 According to the Kentucky Division of Water, 0 Groundwater Branch, Hopkins County has areas N R P T A AR P JUL E C EC NN of low-moderate to moderate-high sensitivity to J FEB M A MAY JUN AUG S O NOV D A groundwater pollution.

CLIMATE OF HOPKINS COUNTY ENV Table 4: Mean Record Temperatures, 1949- The most widely used and accepted system for 2001, Station 155067, Madisonville, KY presenting the world patter of climates is the Month High Year Low Year Koppen classification. The location of Hopkins Mean F Mean F County places it within the humid-subtropical January 44 1950 19 1977 region of the Koppen classification, designated as February 47 1954 24 1978 a Cfa climate. The average temperature of the March 55 1973 33 1960 coldest month is below 64.4 degrees Fahrenheit April 64 2001 52 1950 but above 30.8 degrees Fahrenheit. The warmest May 73 1962 62 1954 monthly average is over 71.6 degrees Fahrenheit June 81 1952 70 1955 and at least four months of the year have averages July 83 1999 74 1967 August 82 1983 71 1967 of over 50 degrees Fahrenheit. September 77 1998 65 1949

October 65 1984 53 1988 Temperature November 55 1999 40 1976 The following graphic and table illustrates the December 48 1984 27 1989 temperature summary from 1971 to 2000 from station 155067 in Madisonville, provided by the Precipitation Western Kentucky University Climate Center. Hopkins County has a mean annual rainfall total The hottest month in the year is July, which has a of 48.31 inches. ENV Graphic 2 illustrates the 29 year average of 79.3 degrees Fahrenheit. average precipitation totals by month for years 1971 through 2000. The month of May has the greatest average precipitation total of 4.95 inches. April has the second greatest with 4.85 inches, and November comes in third with 4.22 inches average precipitation total. The month with the least amount of rainfall is August with 3.23 inches average precipitation over the twenty-nine year period.

5 Information taken from Ground-Water Resources of Hopkins County, Kentucky, Kentucky Geological Survey, D.I. Carey and J.F. Stickney, 2001

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ENV Graphic 2 degree days per year. Twice as many heating 1971-2000 Precipitation Summary degree days means twice the amount of energy Station 155067, Madisonville, Kentucky JAN consumed for heating. FEB 5 ENV Table 6: Heating Degree Days MAR Month Madisonville Chicago Indianapolis Memphis Birmingham 4 APR Jan 938 1288 1221 840 691 1 Feb 706 1017 977 635 514

2 4.85 . 0 MAY Mar 484 805 770 435 339

4 4.51 8

3 .

4.22 Apr 202 462 422 190 154 4.21 4.95 3 JUN

3.78 May 66 203 179 53 31 3.69 3.26

3.36 2 3.23 JUL Jun 1 28 23 1 1 AUG Jul 0 4 1 0 0 1 Aug 0 11 14 0 0 SEP Sep 23 67 77 16 11 OCT Oct 203 352 361 165 133 0 Nov 484 726 681 430 359 Precip (in) NOV Dec 812 1120 1057 726 590 DEC Annual 3919 6083 5783 3491 2823 Source: 1971-2000 Climate Normals, National Climatic Data Center Source: WKU Climate Center

ENV Table 5: Precipitation Extremes, 1948-2001, Cooling Degree Days Station 155067, Madisonville, KY The cooling degree day statistic is the summer Month High (in) Year Low (in) Year equivalent of the winter heating degree day and is January 11.94 1950 0.64 1963 an index of air conditions requirements. It is a February 12.82 1989 0.86 1980 comparison to 65 degrees Fahrenheit at which March 17.65 1997 1.18 1966 temperature no air conditioning is assumed to be April 12.32 1983 1.07 1959 needed. The greater the number of cooling degree May 11.08 1983 0.60 1987 days, the more energy that is required to maintain June 13.86 1969 0.56 1988 a comfortable inside temperature. It should be July 8.30 1958 0.95 1966 noted that the relationship between cooling degree August 14.09 1959 0.45 1953 days and energy consumption is less precise than September 8.54 1950 0.07 1956 the one between heating degree days and energy October 7.73 1970 0.00 1963 consumption. Cloudiness, humidity, and wind November 12.05 1957 0.68 1954 speed influence the amount of energy required to December 10.25 1990 0.63 1976 cool a building. However, no precisely defined Source: WKU Climate Center relationship has evolved.

Heating Degree Days ENV Table 7: Cooling Degree Days Heating degree days (HDD) are a useful index of Month Madisonville Chicago Indianapolis Memphis Birmingham heating fuel consumption. When the daily mean Jan 0 0 0 0 1 temperature is lower than 65 degree Fahrenheit, Feb 0 0 0 0 3 Mar 4 0 0 5 16 most buildings require heat to maintain Apr 24 4 2 32 51 comfortable indoor temperatures. The daily mean May 149 82 81 171 167 temperature is one half of the sum of the Jun 318 199 198 368 351 Jul 443 330 29 500 476 maximum and minimum temperature of the day. Aug 400 279 250 448 455 Each degree of deviation of the daily mean Sep 218 95 98 253 280 temperature below 65 degrees Fahrenheit is Oct 49 12 14 56 69 Nov 3 0 0 5 9 counted as one heating degree day. Dec 0 0 0 0 3 Annual 1608 1001 942 1838 1881 As daily heating degree days increase, more Source: 1971-2000 Climate Normals, National Climatic Data Center energy is consumed to maintain a certain comfortable indoor temperature. The amount of Growing Season heat required to maintain a certain comfort level is The relationship between climate and agriculture directly proportional to the number of heating is easily understood. Data such as first fall freeze

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and last spring freeze dates are directly applicable ecosystems and consequently are the primary to crop planting. Using the definition of “growing focus of federal and state air pollution programs. season” as the number of days from the last freeze in spring to the first freeze in fall, one can classify The Kentucky Division for Air Quality operates a growing season as a temperature factor. In network of 98 air monitoring stations in 34 Kentucky the growing season varies from counties. These stations provide data used by the approximately 200 days in the west to around 170 Environmental Quality Commission to track days in the highland regions of eastern Kentucky. yearly average concentrations of air pollutants in Kentucky. At this time, Hopkins County is in The Spring mean freeze occurs around April 11th compliance with air quality standards. Further for Hopkins County while the first fall mean information may be obtained from the State of freeze occurs around October 18th. This gives an Kentucky’s Environment 2000-2001: A Report on average of 189 mean days in the length of the Environmental Trends and Conditions. growing season for Hopkins County. Though 189 days is the mean length of the growing season, a EARTHQUAKE POTENTIAL difference of 30 to 40 days from one year to the The earthquake history of the Central United next is not uncommon (WKU Climate Center). States is dominated by a series of earthquakes that ENV Graphic 3 portrays the growing degree day ruptured the New Madrid fault in the winter of averages from the Madisonville station for 1971- 1811-1812. On December 16, 1811, there were 2000. three very large earthquakes on the southern branch of the fault in eastern Arkansas, extending ENV Graphic 3: from a point 25 miles northeast of Memphis to Growing Degree Day Averages,1971-2000 Reelfoot Lake in northwest Tennessee. Together Station 155067, Madisonville, KY these three earthquakes ruptured the entire southern segment of the fault, a length of about 90 1400 miles. The largest of the earthquakes, with an 1200 estimated magnitude of about 8.8 Richter (some 1000 Base 40 scientists claim a Richter of 8.3) occurred on February 7, 1812 near the town of New Madrid, 800 Base 45 Missouri. Over 189 earthquakes above 5.0 on the 600 Base 50 Richter Scale occurred in the New Madrid fault 400 Base 55 zone during 1811 and 1812. (Crawford 1989). 200 Base 60 There is a thirty percent probability of a 7.6 0 Richter earthquake at the New Madrid site sometime within the next fifty years. T PR UL EP EC JAN FEB A JUN J AUG S OC NOV D MAR MAY Seismologists express magnitudes of earthquakes

Source: WKU Climate Center using the Richter Scale. Each step on the scale represents an increase in amplitude by a factor of AIR QUALITY ten. The vibrations of an earthquake with a There are numerous sources of air pollution, magnitude of two are ten times greater than those including point (smokestack), mobile (automobile put out by a quake of one, and a quake with the and off-highway vehicle exhaust), and area magnitude of eight are one million times greater sources (small paint shops, gas stations, open in amplitude than those of an earthquake with a burning). The federal Clean Air Act (CAA) of magnitude of two (Hamblin 1982). With a 7.6 1970, along with modifications in 1977 and event at the New Madrid Fault site, Hopkins amendments in 1990, has significantly improved County falls within the VIII destructive zone of the quality of air Kentuckians breathe. The CAA the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale (MMS) specifies controls for six criteria pollutants that which measures damage intensity to man-made can cause serious threats to human health and structures. ENV Table 6 lists the damage

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ENV Table 6: Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale  Better educate and inform so people will (1931), Hopkins County zone understand the importance of leaving streams VIII General fright, alarm approaches panic: strong shaking of alone – avoiding the temptation to channelize trees; temporary to permanent changes in flow and temperature of springs; dry wells renewed; considerable them, clear their vegetation, straighten them damage to structures not built to withstand earthquake; out, dig up their gravel bars and control their falling of walls; twisting, falling of chimneys, columns, flows. monuments, smoke stacks, towers, etc.

 Advocate a strong, regional recycling

program. RECOMMENDATIONS

 Each individual jurisdiction should be  Treat all groundwater supplies to eliminate encouraged to adopt flood prevention bacterial contamination. ordinances for their jurisdiction.

 Test residential groundwater at least once a  Prepare a Floodplain Management Program year. for all jurisdictions through their combined effort.  Ensure features of Hopkins County are  Re-evaluate regulations to stop permanent preserved as development occurs, such as: construction within designated flood hazard rolling hills/woodlands/wildlife, well-defined areas, within wetland areas, on slopes over urban areas bound by rural landscapes, 15% grade, and within areas directly adjacent significant environmental features, and natural to creeks and streams. look along roadways.

 Homes and buildings in Hopkins County  Aggressively provide means to identify and should have earthquake insurance. Many protect areas of endangered species in homeowners believe that their homeowner’s Hopkins County. insurance policy covers their home in the event of earthquake damage. The policy does  Actively seek to preserve and enhance scenic not unless the owner has paid extra for and natural features in development review. earthquake protection.  Identify roads and areas that serve as valuable  Fortify the building code for Hopkins County. scenic assets to the County.

 Support, encourage and assist farmers, loggers  Identify and implement strategies to conserve and developers to adopt erosion and sediment distinctive natural features in designated control measures. scenic corridors.

 Preserve soils within prime agricultural areas.

 Require farmers, homeowners, and golf course managers to reduce amount of fertilizers and chemicals they apply to the land.

 Develop Karst-sensitive Best Management Practices (BMPs) that strive to strike a balance between the need for minimized

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