401 KAR 5:030. Antidegradation policy implementation methodology.

 

      RELATES TO: KRS 146.200-146.360, 146.410-146.535, 146.550-146.570, 146.600-146.619, 146.990, 224.01-010, 224.01-400, 224.16-050, 224.16-070, 224.70-100-224.70-140, 224.71-100-224.71-145, 224.73-100-224.73-120

      STATUTORY AUTHORITY: KRS 146.220, 146.241, 146.270, 146.410, 146.450, 146.460, 146.465, 224.10-100, 224.16-050, 224.16-060, 224.70-100, 224.70-110, 40 C.F.R. Parts 130, 131, 16 U.S.C. 1271 et seq., 1531 et seq., 33 U.S.C. 1311, 1313, 1314, 1315, 1316, 1341, 1342, 1344

      NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY: KRS 224.10-100 requires the Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet to develop and conduct a comprehensive program for the management of water resources and to provide for the prevention, abatement, and control of all water pollution. KRS 224.70-100 declares that the policy of the commonwealth is to conserve its waters for legitimate uses and to: safeguard from pollution the uncontaminated waters of the commonwealth, prevent the creation of any new pollution in the waters of the commonwealth, and abate any existing pollution. This administrative regulation and 401 KAR 5:002, 5:026, 5:029, and 5:031 establish procedures to protect the surface waters of the commonwealth, and thus protect water resources. This administrative regulation establishes a methodology to implement the antidegradation policy contained in 401 KAR 5:029 by establishing procedures to control water pollution in waters affected by that policy.

 

      Section 1. Categorization and Implementation. The following procedures shall govern implementation of the antidegradation policy of 401 KAR 5:029, Section 1, for a point source discharge. A flow chart outlining the procedures is incorporated by reference for informational purposes in Section 3 of this administrative regulation. These antidegradation procedures shall not preempt the power or authority of a local government to provide by ordinance for a higher level of protection through antidegradation implementation for a discharger located within that local government's jurisdiction to a surface water of the commonwealth. Surface waters shall be placed into one (1) of four (4) categories listed in this section and each category shall have implementation procedures as follows:

      (1) Outstanding national resource water. Surface waters of the commonwealth categorized as outstanding national resource waters are listed in Table 1 of this subsection.

 

Table 1

SURFACE WATERS CATEGORIZED AS OUTSTANDING NATIONAL RESOURCE WATER

Stream

Segment

River Miles

County

Red River

Upstream to Island off SR 1067 to Downstream Wild River Boundary at SR 746

49.2-68.6

Menifee/Wolfe

Underground River System

Within Mammoth Cave National Park Boundary

 

Edmonson/

Hart/Barren

Big South Fork of Cumberland River

Downstream Wild River Boundary to Tennessee Stateline

45.0-55.2

McCreary

 

      (a) Categorization criteria. A surface water shall be categorized as an outstanding national resource water if the surface water meets, at a minimum, the requirements for an outstanding state resource water as provided in 401 KAR 5:031, Section 8, and if the surface water demonstrates national ecological or recreational significance.

      (b) Implementation procedure. Water quality shall be maintained and protected in outstanding national resource water. A new discharger or expanded discharge which may result in permanent or long-term changes in water quality is prohibited. The cabinet may approve temporary or short-term changes in water quality if the changes to the outstanding national resource water have no demonstrable impact on the ability of the water to support the designated uses.

      (2) Exceptional water. Surface waters of the commonwealth categorized as exceptional water are listed in Table 2 of this subsection.

 

Table 2

SURFACE WATERS CATEGORIZED AS EXCEPTIONAL WATER

Stream

Segment

River Miles

County

BIG SANDY RIVER BASIN

Hobbs Fork*

Mouth to Headwaters

0.0-3.8

Martin

Hobbs Fork Unidentified Tributary*

Hobbs Fork to Headwaters

0.0-0.55

Martin

Lower Pigeon Branch*

Left Fork to Headwaters

0.5-1.7

Pike

Russell Fork*

Clinch Field RR Yard off HWY 80 to Virginia Stateline

14.4-16

Pike

Toms Branch*

Mouth to Headwaters

0.0-1.4

Pike

LITTLE SANDY RIVER BASIN

Arabs Fork*

Clay Fork to Headwaters

0.0-4.7

Carter

Big Caney Creek*

Grayson Lake to Headwaters

0.0-14.9

Elliott

Big Sinking Creek*

SR 986 to Clay Fork and Arab Fork

10.7-15.2

Carter

Meadow Branch*

Mouth to Headwaters

0.0-1.4

Elliott

Middle Fork Little Sandy River*

Mouth to Sheepskin Branch

0.0-3.6

Elliott

Nichols Fork*

Green Branch to Headwaters

0.0-1.9

Elliott

Laurel Creek*

Carter School Rd Bridge to Headwaters

7.6-14.4

Elliott

LICKING RIVER BASIN

Blackwater Creek*

Eaton Creek to Greasy Fork

3.8-11.4

Morgan

Botts Fork

Mouth to Landuse Change

0.0-2.1

Menifee

Brushy Fork

Cave Run Lake Backwaters to Headwaters

0.6-5.0

Menifee

Brushy Fork*

Mouth to Headwaters

0.0-5.7

Pendleton

Bucket Branch*

Mouth to Headwaters

0.0-1.9

Morgan

Craney Creek

Mouth to Headwaters

0.0-10.0

Rowan

Devils Fork*

Mouth to Headwaters

0.0-7.8

Morgan

Grovers Creek*

Kincaid Lake Backwaters to Unidentified Tributary

0.5-3.4

Pendleton

Licking River

SR 211 to unnamed Rd off Slatey Point Rd

154.5-165.0

Bath/Rowan

North Fork of Licking River*

Cave Run Lake Backwaters to Devils Fork

9.9-14.2

Morgan

Slabcamp Creek

Mouth to Headwaters

0.0-3.4

Rowan

South Fork Grassy Creek*

Mouth to Greasy Creek

0.0-19.6

Pendleton

Welch Fork*

Mouth to First Road Crossing

0.0-1.0

Menifee

West Creek*

Mouth to Headwaters

0.0-9.5

Robertson

KENTUCKY RIVER BASIN

Big Double Creek*

Mouth to Headwaters

0.0-6.5

Clay

Bill Branch*

Mouth to Right Fork and Left Fork Creek

0.0-2.2

Leslie

Buffalo Creek*

Mouth to Right Fork and Left Fork

0.0-1.6

Owsley

Cavanaugh Creek*

South Fork of Station Camp Creek to Foxtown Rd

0.0-5.3

Jackson

Cawood Branch*

Mouth to Headwaters

0.0-2.1

Leslie

Cedar Creek Unidentified Tributary*

Mouth to Headwaters

0.0-1.4

Owen

Chester Creek*

Mouth to Headwaters

0.0-2.8

Wolfe

Clear Creek*

Mouth to East Fork Clear Creek

0.0-8.8

Woodford

Clemons Fork*

 Mouth to Headwaters

0.0-4.7

Breathitt

Coles Fork*

Mouth to Headwaters

0.0-5.5

Breathitt

Drennon Creek*

Flat Bottom Road Crossing to Town Branch

10.5-11.9

Henry

East Fork of Indian Creek*

West Fork of Indian Creek to Headwaters

0.0-8.5

Menifee

Elisha Creek*

Elisha Creek Rd Crossing to Right Fork and Middle Fork Elisha Creek

0.95-1.7

Leslie

Emily Run

Mouth to Unidentified Tributary

0.0-3.9

Henry

Evans Fork*

Mouth to Headwaters

0.0-2.9

Estill

Falling Rock Branch*

Mouth to Headwaters

0.0-0.6

Breathitt

Gladie Creek*

Mouth to Headwaters

0.0-8.4

Menifee

Glenns Creek Unidentified Tributary

Landuse Change to Headwaters

0.2-1.3

Woodford

Goose Creek

Mouth to Laurel Creek

0.0-9.3

Clay

Griers Creek*

Urban Area to Unidentified Tributary

2.9-3.4

Woodford

Grindstone Creek*

Mouth to Headwaters

0.0-2.2

Franklin

Hardwick Creek

Mouth to Little Hardwick Creek

0.0-3.2

Powell

Hell For Certain

Mouth to Big Fork

0.0-2.1

Leslie

Hines Creek*

Mouth to Hines Creek Road Crossing

0.0-2.4

Madison

Honey Branch

Mouth to Headwaters

0.0-1.4

Leslie

Hopper Cave* Branch

Mouth to Headwaters

0.0-1.6

Jackson

Indian Creek*

Backwater Kentucky River to Headwaters

0.55-4.7

Carroll

Indian Fork*

Mouth to Headwaters

0.0-3.3

Shelby

John Carpenter Fork*

Mouth to Headwaters

0.0-1.5

Breathitt

Left Fork Big Double Creek*

Mouth to Headwaters

0.0-1.5

Clay

Line Fork*

Defeated Creek to Headwaters

11.6-27.5

Letcher

Line Fork Unidentified Tributary* (LCW)

Mouth to Headwaters

0.0-0.55

Letcher

Little Millseat Branch*

Mouth to Headwaters

0.0-1.2

Breathitt

Little Sixmile Creek*

Mouth to Headwaters

0.0-5.2

Henry

Lulbegrud Creek

Mouth to Falls Branch

0.0-7.3

Clark/Powell

Middle Fork of Kentucky River

Mouth to Upper Twin Creek

0.0-12.5

Lee

Middle Fork of Kentucky River

Hyden, Kentucky to Greasy Creek

76.1-84.0

Leslie

Middle Fork of Red River

South Fork Red River to Natural Bridge State Park Lake

1.8-8.3

Powell

Mill Creek*

Mouth to Headwaters

0.0-8.3

Owen

Millseat Branch*

Mouth to Headwaters

0.0-1.9

Breathitt

Muddy Creek*

Elliston, Kentucky to Viney Creek

13.4-20.2

Madison

Musselman Creek*

Mouth to Headwaters

0.0-8.4

Grant

Red Bird River

Mouth to Big Creek

0.0-15.0

Clay

Right Fork of Buffalo Creek*

Mouth to Headwaters

0.0-11.2

Owsley

Roaring Fork*

Mouth to Headwaters

0.0-0.85

Breathitt

Sand Ripple Creek*

Mouth to Headwaters

0.0-3.9

Henry

Severn Creek*

Mouth to North Fork Severn Creek

0.0-2.8

Owen

Shelly Rock Fork*

Mouth to Headwaters

0.0-0.6

Breathitt

Sixmile Creek*

Little Sixmile to Dam

6.9-14.7

Henry

South Fork of Kentucky River

Mouth to Sexton Creek

0.0-27.7

Owsley

South Fork of Red River

Mouth to Sandlick Fork

0.0-3.9

Powell

South Fork of Station Camp Creek*

Mouth to Rock Lick Creek

0.0-9.6

Jackson

Spruce Branch*

Mouth to Headwaters

0.0-1.1

Leslie

Station Camp Creek*

Landuse Change to South Fork Station Camp Creek

19.0-22.3

Estill

Steer Fork*

Mouth to Headwaters

0.0-2.9

Jackson

Sturgeon Creek*

Duck Fork to Little Sturgeon Creek

1.3-13.7

Lee

Sugar Creek*

Landuse Change to Headwaters

0.8-3.8