Intro | floydsforklouisville

Natural History

Geography

Read through the sections below to discover more about the Floyds Fork Watershed including: geography, natural history, cultural history, water quality and environmental pressures plaguing the waterway. Note: Maps are from Jefferson County Metropolitan Sewer District and the "Watershed Hydrology and Water Quality Modeling Report for Floyds Fork, Kentucky." For full references, please click the "Bibliography" tab.

Floyds Fork of Jefferson County- One of Louisville's Hidden Gems

Floyds Fork begins in southwest Henry County and flows into the Salt River in Bullitt County, which then flows into the Ohio River. Floyds Fork is 62 miles in length and spans across six counties. Its watershed is a total of 285 square miles, with 122 square miles of it in Jefferson County alone. It is the largest watershed in Jefferson County. Most of the watershed is undeveloped land; nearly 40% is forest and 27% pastures, which means that at least 2/3 of the land in the watershed is not urban area. In fact less than 20% is developed land. (Watershed Hydrology and Water Quality Modeling Report for Floyds Fork, Kentucky)

Since the settlers came to the land around Floyds Fork, the watershed has sustained some changes, but these changes are not quite as drastic as the ones made to many other lands around waterways (E.g., Beargrass Creek). The settlers cut down trees to use as firewood and material for the building of their houses and forts, which changed the watershed. Despite some trees being cut down, many others still stand and today are most likely 200 to 300 years old. Logging also occurred in the area around 1950, but it has since been stopped. The trees that were cut down have now been replaced in some areas. The lands surrounding the creek play host to a riparian forest that has largely been left untouched because it is a flood prone area. Although, it must also be mentioned that there are parts of that land that have been drained. As evidence, John Floyd Fields has many soccer fields today in what was once a wetland. We see large drainage ditches that keep that area dry today. A lot of the land surrounding Floyds Fork has not been developed, which has allowed it to preserve its natural order. Today, the Parklands project is in place to preserve the watershed. (The Landscape of Boone’s Day)

There are many flora and fauna in the Floyd’s Fork area. Below is a list compiled and images of select flora and fauna. (Floyds Fork Flora & Fauna)

Birds: There are over 200 species of bird. Some examples include: Green Heron, Mallard, Wood Duck, Turkey Vulture, Red-tailed Hawk, Mourning Dove, Screech Owl

Mammals: Gray squirrel, Fox squirrel, Easter cottontail, Raccoon, Opossum, Red Fox, White-tailed deer, White-footed mouse

Fish: Largemouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Bluegill, White Sucker (seen here)

Reptiles/Amphibians: Garter snake, Red-eared turtle, Common Water snake, Painted turtle, Black rat snake, Box turtle

Mussels: Lasmigona complanata, Andonta grandis, Alasmidonta viridis, Strophitis undulates, Lampsilis teres luteola, Asian Clam (Corbicula manilensis), Clubshell (Pleurobema clava), Crayfish (Orconectes sp.), Amphipods, Snails (Goniobasis sp.)

Plants: White Ash (tree), Poison Ivy, Spicebush, Strawberry bush, Black Cherry (tree), Sugar Maple (tree), Black Walnut (tree), Red Oak (tree), Black Oak (tree), Shagbark Hickory (tree), Papaw (shrub), Cleavers (vine), Tall Bellflower (vine), Sycamore (tree), Box Elder (tree), Willow (tree), Cotton Wood (tree)

The Floyds Fork Watershed is the largest watershed in the county and is approximately 122 square miles. MSD samples from five sites in the watershed located on Floyds Fork, Pope Lick, Chenoweth Run and Long Run. Though it is the least impacted of the watersheds (which can be observed from the low level of impervious surfaces seen and urban population seen on the map), there are environmental issues that have been noted below. (Watershed Hydrology and Water Quality Modeling Report for Floyd's Fork, Kentucky)

The history of the Floyds Fork watershed is rich with historic events. John Floyd, who is the river’s namesake, was the first person to occupy land in Jefferson County and owned the deed to the land outright. John Floyd was a surveyor and a military leader. In 1781 he was placed in command of all of the militias in Jefferson County.

One relatively major event that occurred on September 15, 1781 on the banks of Floyds Fork was the Long Run Massacre. Settlers of Squire Boone’s Station heard about a planned attack on the fort, so they decided to retreat to stations along Beargrass Creek. Along the way, at the junction of Long Run Creek and Floyds Fork, Native Americans led by British Captain Alexander McKee ambushed them. Seven were killed. The next day John Floyd gathered the militia and some volunteers to attack the Native Americans. They found a group of Native Americans who then led them into another ambush, killing seventeen people.

Another event was the killing of Abraham Lincoln’s grandfather by Native Americans in an ambush in 1786, when he and his sons were returning home from the fields one day. Tom Lincoln, President Abraham Lincoln’s father, was 10 at the time. Abraham Lincoln (senior) and his family lived on Long Run Creek, which today is in far eastern Jefferson County. (Floyd’s Fork Jefferson County, KY)

Water Quality & Environmental Issues/Pressures

Cultural History

Environmental Issues/Pressures

Even though this watershed is the least affected watershed in Jefferson County, there are still many issues with its environment.

The Floyds Fork watershed contains the largest, most diverse mussel population of any stream within Jefferson County. Mussel populations have declined seriously in most urban areas within the United States. Mussels are extremely important and pollution-intolerant organisms. They are good indicators of healthy stream systems. Mussel populations within Floyds Fork streams are considered threatened.

Fecal coliforms exceed recreational standards about one-third of the time. The spike fecal coliform has several culprits including: septic tanks, several package water quality treatment centers, and animal waste from farms.

With a number of golf courses, nutrient enrichment is also a problem in the watershed. There are other sources of the nutrient pollution including: chemically treated lawns, agriculture, septic tanks and small water quality treatment centers. Furthermore, heavy silt loads, often from construction sites and agriculture, impact the stream.

Even though the water quality at Floyds Fork is better than other watersheds in Jefferson County, the area is slowly declining and the diverse flora and fauna is being threatened by the factors listed above. (Watershed Management: Floyds Fork)