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Big Sandy/Little Sandy and Tygarts Creek BasinsDaniel I. Carey

Map and Chart 192Series XII, 2009

0 3 6 9 121.5Miles

±

River Transportation

River transportation supports industry on the Ohio and Big Sandy Rivers.

Beautiful Greenbo Lake in Greenup County reflects the surrounding hills on a quiet day. The 181-acre lake is located within Greenbo Lake State Resort Park. The 3,000-acre park provides camping, fishing (renowned for largemouth bass), boating, golf, and hiking and biking trails.

Greenbo Lake

Carter Caves State Resort Park in Carter County is a popular attraction for tourism, golfing, and business meetings. Beautiful hiking trails and caves can be found in the steep-sided tributary valleys of Tygarts Creek formed by Mississippian limestones.

Carter Caves

Industry on the Big Sandy near the I-64 bridge. The Big Sandy and Ohio Rivers provide water, transportation, and level land for industry.

Industry and Rivers

The Pikeville Cut-Through, which began in 1973, was a 14-year engineering achievement second only to the Panama Canal. The channel is 1,300 feet wide, 3,700 feet long, and 523 feet deep. Itreroutes the flow of the Levisa Fork away from the oxbow that encircles Pikeville and controls flooding. The 390 acres of flat land that were created have seen extensive development. This 2004 photo from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows the completed cutoff.

Pikeville Cutoff

Nearly 7,600 miles of streams flow through the basin’s 3,440 square miles in 14 counties to the Tug Fork, Big Sandy River, and Ohio River. The Tygarts Creek–Little Sandy River Basin includes 1,160 square miles. The Big Sandy River Basin has 2,285 square miles in Kentucky and 1,950 square miles in West Virginia and Virginia. There are nearly 17,000 acres of wetlands, including water bodies.

Residents draw about 27 million gallons of water per day (mgd) from streams and reservoirs in the basin. About three in five residents are on public water; other households rely primarily on domestic wells. Only about one in four households are on public sewer. On-site wastewater treatment is a critical issue affecting water quality throughout the basin.

More than 540 miles of streams in the basin do not fully support designated uses for warm-water aquatic habitat, fish consumption, and primary contact recreation. Most streams have not been assessed. The percentage of assessed streams not supporting uses was: warm-water aquatic habitat (60%); fish consumption (16%); primary contact recreation (40%).

45 miles of streams have been declared special use waters: either exceptional waters or reference reach waters.

There are four remediation priority watersheds including 200 square miles: primary impacts are pathogens, PCBs, metals, siltation, dissolved solids, chlorides, and salinity.

Kentucky Geological SurveyJames C. Cobb, State Geologist and DirectorUNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY, LEXINGTON

Data from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Ecologic Regions

Carter HillsDissected Appalachian Plateau

Monongahela Transition ZoneKnobs

Carboniferous Plateau

Wildlife

The resources in the basin are shared by many (above and left).

Scale = 1:190,0801 inch equals 3 miles

SlopeLevel to gently rollingRollingHillySteep

AcknowledgmentsThanks to Terry Hounshell and Meg Smath,Kentucky Geological Survey, for cartographicand editorial improvements. Thanks to Kim andKent Anness, Kentucky Division of GeographicInformation, for base-map data. Recreation

Kayakers run the Class V water on the Russell Fork River in the Breaks Inter-state Park on the Kentucky-Virginia line. A variety of experiences—boating, fish-ing, or merely enjoying the scenery—is provided by waterways throughout the basin. Breaks Interstate Park is one of two interstate parks in America and encompasses 4,500 acres of woodland. The Breaks, home of the deepest gorge east of the Mississippi River, also rises to lofty heights where golden eagles make their home. The Towers and other rock formations, caves, flora, and wildlife make the park a unique tourist destination. Photo by Bethany Overfield, Kentucky Geological Survey.

Water Body Name Type Directions Fee Latitude Longitude Fishtrap Lake Lick Creek ramp any boat Ky. 80 southeast of Pikeville; left on U.S. 460; left on Ky. 1373 to ramp no 37.40779 -82.31801 Fishtrap Lake Dam ramp any boat Ky. 80 southeast of Pikeville to Ky. 1789; follow signs yes 37.43665 -82.41445 Dewey Lake Jenny Wiley State Park Marina ramp any boat Ky. 1428 east of Prestonsburg; left on Ky. 302 to state park no 37.69361 -82.72723 Dewey Lake Jenny Wiley State Park–Stratton Branch ramp any boat Ky. 1428 east of Prestonsburg; Ky. 302 to state park; follow Ky. 302 around lake to ramp no 37.70194 -82.73893 Dewey Lake Jenny Wiley State Park Campground ramp any boat Ky. 1428 east of Prestonsburg; left on Ky. 302; follow around lake to site no 37.71440 -82.73890 Dewey Lake Terry ramp any boat Ky. 1428 east of Prestonsburg; left on Ky. 302; follow around lake to site no 37.72645 -82.74262 Paintsville Lake Paintsville Lake State Park ramp any boat Ky. 40 west of Paintsville; right on Ky. 2275 to lake no 37.84292 -82.87993 Paintsville Lake Big Mine Fork ramp any boat Ky. 40 east of Salyersville; Ky. 1437 north to Wheelersburg; right on Ky. 5041 (Jellico Branch Road – Big Mine Fork) to ramp no 37.87450 -82.98621 Paintsville Lake Open Fork boat ramp any boat Ky. 172 east of West Liberty to Relief; right on Open Fork Road; follow signs no 37.92989 -83.00146 Yatesville Lake Rich Creek ramp any boat Ky. 32 west of Louisa; follow signs no 38.06448 -82.75062 Yatesville Lake Pleasant Ridge ramp any boat Ky. 32 west of Louisa to Pleasant Ridge Road no 38.09525 -82.68909 Yatesville Lake Barkers Marina ramp any boat Ky. 3 north of Louisa; left on Ky. 3397; left on Ky. 1185 no 38.11880 -82.69359 Grayson Lake Bruin Creek any boat Ky. 7 north of Sandy Hook; follow signs to lake (before entering Carter County) no 38.20149 -83.01083 Grayson Lake Dam ramp any boat Ky. 7 south of Grayson; first road on left after crossing dam yes 38.24833 -82.98608 Fishtrap Lake Grapevine ramp small boat only U.S. 23 north of Pikeville; right on U.S. 119; right on Ky. 194 to Phyllis; follow signs to lake yes 37.43156 -82.35885 Hambley Lake Hambley Lake ramp small boat only Ky. 1426 to Combs Avenue; turn right at three-way stop onto Trivette Drive; ramp is near Agriculture Extension Office no 37.48465 -82.51652 Levisa Fork of Big Sandy River Prestonsburg ramp small boat only Ky. 1428 to West Court Street; right onto north Front Street; take first left to river park no 37.66397 -82.77329 Dewey Lake German Bridge ramp small boat only Ky. 1428 east of Prestonsburg to Emma; left on Ky. 194 to bridge no 37.68481 -82.65298 Levisa Fork of Big Sandy River Paintsville River Access small boat only Ky. 40 in Paintsville; southeast on Ky. 1428; left onto State Street; left onto Chessie Lane to River Road no 37.81329 -82.79204 Tug Fork of Big Sandy River Warfield ramp small boat only Ky. 40 east of Inez to Warfield; left on Ky. 292 to ramp no 37.84611 -82.42032 Martin County Reservoir Martin County Reservoir ramp small boat only Ky. 40 southeast from Inez; left onto Ky. 908; left onto Reservoir Road no 37.87892 -82.51803 Paintsville Lake Lost Creek boat ramp small boat only Ky. 172 north from West Liberty; right onto Ky. 437; right on to Ky. 1260; right onto Lost Creek Road to ramp no 37.89743 -82.98873 Martin County Lake Martin County Lake ramp small boat only Ky. 40 west of Inez; Ky. 645 north; Ky. 1884 east (Milo Road) no 37.92178 -82.56743 Yatesville Lake Twin Branch ramp small boat only Ky. 3 north of Louisa; left on Ky. 1; left on Ky. 828 (which becomes Twin Branch Road) to ramp no 38.10873 -82.74443 Tug Fork of Big Sandy River Louisa ramp small boat only Ky. 3 in Louisa to north Winston Street; right onto Main Street to ramp no 38.11975 -82.60501 Grayson Lake Caney Creek small boat only Ky. 7 north of Sandy Hook; left on Ky. 504 no 38.16466 -83.08912 Grayson Lake Clifty Creek ramp small boat only Ky. 7 south of Grayson; pass dam on Grayson Lake; right on gravel road just before bridge over Clifty Creek arm no 38.23014 -83.01448 Smoky Valley/Carter Caves Lake Smoky Valley/Carter Caves Lake ramp small boat only I-64 west of Grayson (exit 161); turn right and follow signs to Carter Caves State Park no 38.36659 -83.12958 Ohio River – East Catlettsburg ramp small boat only In Catlettsburg; Division Street behind floodwall at boat club no 38.41662 -82.59643 Greenbo Lake Greenbo Lake State Park small boat only Ky. 1 south of Greenbo; right on Ky. 1711; follow signs no 38.48488 -82.88410 Ohio River – East Ashland ramp small boat only In Ashland; north end of 16th Street behind floodwall no 38.48167 -82.63849 Little Sandy River Raccoon ramp small boat only Ky. 2 southwest of Greenup (6 miles) at bridge crossing no 38.53038 -82.87130 Little Sandy River Greenup ramp small boat only U.S. 23 northwest of Greenup (1/4 mile) no 38.57981 -82.84300 Data from the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources: kygeonet.ky.gov/kdfwr/viewer.htm.

Boat Ramps in the BasinML

More InformationBoating and fishing access sites, Ky. Dept. Fish and Wildlife Resources: kygeonet.ky.gov/kdfwr/Big Sandy/Little Sandy and Tygarts Basin Team: www.watersheds.ky.gov/basins/big_little_sandy/Dewey Lake, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: www.lrh.usace.army.mil/projects/lakes/DEW/Fishtrap Lake: parks.ky.gov/findparks/recparks/ft/Grayson Lake: parks.ky.gov/findparks/recparks/gl/Paintsville Lake, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: www.lrh.usace.army.mil/projects/lakes/piv/Yatesville Lake, parks.ky.gov/findparks/recparks/yl/Kentucky Division of Water: water.ky.gov/Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute: www.uky.edu/WaterResources/Kentucky Geological Survey: www.uky.edu/kgs/water/library Water Watch Data: kgsmap.uky.edu/website/krww/U.S. Geological Survey surface water data: water.usgs.gov/osw/

Basin LocationTygartsBig/Little Sandy

Alluvial Valleys

Wide alluvial valleys in the Tygarts Creek and Little Sandy watersheds provide land for agriculture and development. Floodplain development should be designed to avoid or minimize flood damage.

2

17

Russell Fork

Looking down the Russell Fork Valley, a tributary of Levisa Fork, near the Kentucky-Virginia line. Photo by Bethany Overfield, Kentucky Geological Survey.

13

Wetlands

Nearly 17,000 acres of wetlands 1 acre or larger have been delineated in the basin by the National Wetlands Inventory Program. Wetlands are vital to aquatic life and the maintenance of water quality.

8

Moving out of the Floodplain

Nine feet of water ran on Main Street in Martin during the 1977 flood. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntington District, is implementing a redevelopment plan that will provide relocation and other nonstructural flood protection measures for homes, businesses, and government buildings. The plan was designed to preserve the cohesiveness of the Floyd County community.

11

Construction in the alluvial floodplain must ensure that living spaces are above flood levels, as shown in these homes along Wolf Creek in Martin County.

Flood Damage Reduction

6

Nearly 6,300 acres of manmade lakes with 275 miles of shoreline provide flood protection, water supplies, and recreation for the region. Paintsville Lake (above) offers 1,140 acres of boating, water sports, and fishing in Johnson County.

Lakes

9

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Over 2 billion tons of coal has been mined in the basin, 1.7 billion by underground mining. In recent years, surface mines—such as this mountaintop job near Hippo in Floyd County—have played a greater role in production. Photo from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Imagery Program, 2004.

Coal

15

The Little Sandy River undercuts its sandstone bank in a quiet bend near Sandy Hook in Elliott County.

Little Sandy River

1010

4

Levisa Fork

Levisa Fork, seen here at Paintsville in Johnson County, drains three-fourths of the mountainous Dissected Appalachian Plateau region. Thin soils, lack of public wastewater treatment, mining, logging, and failed septic systems throughout the watershed contribute to water-quality problems.

16

Narrow alluvial valleys, such as this in the headwaters of Blaine Creek in Lawrence County, provide limited level land for homes and agriculture in the mountainous region of the Levisa and Tug Fork basins. In theregion, less than 5 percent of the land is tillable.

Agriculture

7

As a river town at the confluence of the Ohio and Big Sandy Rivers, Catlettsburg was subject to flooding on a regular basis—estimated at every 18 months prior to 1937. During that year, a major flood convinced the town that a floodwall was necessary. The levee (left) and floodwall seen here have been in operation since that time, and are crucial to the survival of the town during floods. Photo by Bart Davidson, Kentucky Geological Survey.

Flood Protection

3

5

WetlandsSource Water/Groundwater Protection Areas–Zone 1Priority watershed:www.water.ky.gov/watersheds/

County boundary

Ponds

Stream reaches not supporting assesseduses: water.ky.gov/sw/tmdl/303dSpecial Use Waters: water.ky.gov/sw/specialwaters/

Lakes

Photo location

Treatment plant outfallsYWX

County seat^Large boat rampMLSmall boat rampML

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Incorporated city

11-Digit Hydrologic Unit boundary, unit code, andarea in square miles

ExplanationElevation in feet

482–700701–850851–1,0001,001–1,1501,151–1,3001,301–1,5001,501–1,7001,701–1,9001,901–2,3002,301–3,104

Public Water Withdrawals

1Public Water System Identification NumberData from the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority (2008)

LocationID1 Owner Source1 0670213 Jenkins Water System Lake 203 2 0980120 Elkhorn City Water Department Russell Fork Levisa Fork 3 0360463 Wheelwright Utilities Commission Wheelwright Mine 4 0980575 Mountain Water District Russell Fork Levisa Fork 5 0980350 Pikeville Water Department Levisa Fork/Big Sandy River 6 0360152 Francis Water Company Francis Water Mine Well 7 0360026 Southern Water & Sewer District Levisa Fork Big Sandy River 8 0360358 Prestonsburg City Utilities Commission Levisa Fork Big Sandy River 9 0580340 Paintsville Utility Commission Levisa Fork Big Sandy River 10 0800273 Martin County Water District Curtis Crum Reservoir 11 0800273 Martin County Water District Tug Fork Big Sandy River 12 0640257 Louisa Board of Water and Sewer Commission Levisa Fork Big Sandy River 13 0220555 Rattlesnake Ridge Water District Grayson Lake 14 0220335 Olive Hill Municipal Water Works Tygarts Creek 15 0220335 Olive Hill Municipal Water Works Olive Hill Reservoir 16 0220164 Grayson Utility Commission Little Sandy River 17 0100011 Ashland Water Works Ohio River 18 0450376 Russell Water Works Ohio River 19 0450169 Greenup Water Department Little Sandy River

PWSID