The Kentucky Division of Water announces recently the release of the state Stream and Wetland Conservation Plan survey results.this is very important survey because some of us don't realize that we exploit our nature especially the source of our drinking water here in Kentucky. With funding from the United States Environmental Agency(EPA), Dr. Stephanie McSpirit of Easter Kentucky University was contracted to design the survey and get input from various stakeholders. Over 800 stakeholders were surveyed and included environmental professionals, federal and state regulators, farmers, homeowners, coal industry representatives, stream restoration engineers,and foresters.

When asked to reflect on the major challenges affecting Kentucky's streams and wetlands, many Steering Committee members, as well as other stakeholders from across the state, made reference to either the impacts of development or resouce extraction. Both were cited as two of the greatest challenges in protecting our state's water resources from further degradation and decline.

This was also mirrored in online survey, insofar as the effects of Development (sewage, residential growth and storm water) as well as the effects of coal were rated as the serious, "very serious" impacts. Many survey respondents really showed a huge concerns the detrimental impacts on our state's water resources. Fifty-six percent of survey respondents rated sewer and straight pipes and forty percent of respondents perceived the impact of coal and energy development.