Did you know Kentucky has more navigable miles of water than any other state except Alaska? Washington, Nelson, and Marion counties are all a part of the Salt River Basin, containing approximately 9,375 miles of streams, and draining about 4,150 square miles of Kentucky! Unfortunately, it's almost impossible for state agencies to thoroughly monitor the vast system of waterways in Kentucky due to limited staff and budgets.

To address this gap, the Kentucky Watershed Watch has developed a program to enable everyday citizens to become certified stream samplers, allowing them to actively contribute to maintaining healthy water resources. New Pioneers is excited to announce our partnership with the Kentucky Watershed Watch to become a Support Hub for these samplers! 

This initiative aims to provide training and support for certified water samplers across the region. Anyone can easily be trained and receive supplies to test our waterways - including you!  Click here to learn how!

Once you’re trained to safely sample our waterways, you are welcome to stop by New Pioneers’ office at 127 W. Main St in Springfield on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM for your sampling needs! Visit our Resources Page to learn more about available materials and receiving support.