Kentucky River

Kentucky River
Kentucky River basin
Data
Water code	US :  513130
location	Kentucky (USA)
River system	Mississippi River
Drain over	Ohio  → Mississippi  → Gulf of Mexico
Union	of North Fork and South Fork Kentucky Rivers at Beattyville , Lee County 37 ° 34 ′ 10 ″  N , 83 ° 42 ′ 37 ″  W
Source height	204  m
muzzle	At Carrollton in the Ohio River coordinates: 38 ° 41 ′ 1 ″  N , 85 ° 11 ′ 19 ″  W 38 ° 41 ′ 1 ″  N , 85 ° 11 ′ 19 ″  W.
Mouth height	128  m
Height difference	76 m
Bottom slope	0.18 ‰
length	417 km
Catchment area	18,000 km²
Drain	MQ	285 m³ / s
Left tributaries	Dix River
Right tributaries	Red River
Medium-sized cities	Frankfort
The Kentucky River

North Fork Kentucky River
North Fork Kentucky River near Combs
Data
Water code	US :  514290
location	Kentucky (USA)
River system	Mississippi River
Drain over	Kentucky River → Ohio River  → Mississippi River  → Gulf of Mexico
source	Letcher County 37 ° 9 ′ 19 ″  N , 82 ° 39 ′ 1 ″  W.
confluence	with South Fork Kentucky River to Kentucky River 37 ° 35 ′ 12 ″  N , 83 ° 40 ′ 13 ″  W
Mouth height	190  m
length	270 km

Middle Fork Kentucky River
Water code	US :  513931
location	Kentucky (USA)
River system	Mississippi River
Drain over	North Fork Kentucky River  → Kentucky River  → Ohio River  → Mississippi River  → Gulf of Mexico
source	Leslie County 36 ° 54 ′ 1 ″  N , 83 ° 29 ′ 56 ″  W.
muzzle	North Fork Kentucky River 37 ° 35 ′ 12 "  N , 83 ° 40 ′ 7"  W.
Mouth height	202  m
length	169 km
Reservoirs flowed through	Buckhorn Lake

South Fork Kentucky River
Water code	US :  515545
location	Kentucky (USA)
River system	Mississippi River
Drain over	Kentucky River → Ohio River  → Mississippi River  → Gulf of Mexico
source	in Owsley County 37 ° 16 ′ 11 ″  N , 83 ° 38 ′ 35 ″  W.
confluence	with North Fork Kentucky River to Kentucky River 37 ° 34 ′ 10 ″  N , 83 ° 42 ′ 37 ″  W
Mouth height	193  m
length	72 km

The Kentucky River is a 417 km long tributary of the Ohio River , in the US state of Kentucky . The river and its tributaries drain most of the central part of the state. The upper reaches run through the coal-mining areas of the Cumberland Mountains , while the lower reaches the bluegrass region in the north of the state. The catchment area covers around 18,000 km² and provides drinking water for about one sixth of Kentucky's population.

Thanks to 14 barrages built by the US Army Corps of Engineers , the river is navigable along its entire length. It is administered by the state Kentucky River Authority . The main importance of the barrages today is the drinking water supply of Lexington . Despite an annual rainfall of 1000 mm, the area has little surface water due to the karst limestone underground.

description

The Kentucky River is formed in central Kentucky near Beattyville , Lee County , by the union of the North Fork Kentucky River and South Fork Kentucky River at a height of approximately 204 m. Another source river, the Middle Fork Kentucky River, flows 6 km upstream into the North Fork Kentucky River . Buckhorn Lake, a 5 km² reservoir, is located on the Middle Fork Kentucky River .

The Kentucky River meanders strongly from Beattyville to the northwest through the Daniel Boone National Forest , past Irvine and Boonesborough .

He then turns southwest, past Lexington south. About 25 km southwest of Boonesborough flows into the Red River , five kilometers further the Silver Creek ; at High Bridge , the Dix River . Between Clays Ferry , Madison County and Frankfort , the river passes the Kentucky River Palisades , a 160 km series of steep canyons. The Benson Creek flows into Frankfort , 20 km further on the Elkhorn Creek . The Kentucky River flows into the Ohio River at Carrollton .

Fish deaths in 2000

A fish death occurred in 2000 due to a fire in the Wild Turkey distillery on the river. A warehouse full of bourbon whiskey burned down and large quantities of burning bourbon spilled into the river. In the days following the fire, fish began to die in the Kentucky River and the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources identified a 6 to 8 kilometer "death zone" that migrated downstream, smelled strikingly of bourbon, and where all fish died. It was the worst fish death in Kentucky history. Eventually, the Coast Guard managed to pump out the alcohol to such an extent that it no longer posed a threat to the river.

Web links

• Kentucky River Museum in Boonesbourough

Individual evidence

1. ↑ US Army Corps of Engineers - Buckhorn Lake ( Memento of the original from April 25, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
2. ↑ CK Cowdery: Bourbon, Straight - The Uncut and Unfiltered Story of American Whiskey. Made and Bottled in Kentucky, Chicago, Illinois 2004, ISBN 0-9758703-0-0 , p. 90