Four

Human activities noted: One squirrel hunter was seen. boats were tied to the bank. A gravel bar is being worked for road surfacing, mostly by local people for farm roads.

General observations: This portion of the upper Barren River is of very high quality habitat, due to the relative inaccessibility of the timber on the bluffs. The entire reach should be preserved in its natural state. It has great potential for hunting and fishing and other forms of recreation if maintained in its present state and allowed to improve.

Rolling Fork River

This stretch of the river is located in Hardin and Bullitt Counties. It forms the county line from the Highway 434 bridge to Salt River Junction at Fort Knox; a distance of sixteen miles.

Status of streambank habitat: Since fourteen and one-half miles of this stretch runs through the Fort Knox impact area, none of the streambank has been altered in several years. The banks are fairly stable of clay mud. There is not much more than normal cutting and washing of the banks. Some undercutting has caused slip-ins of trees along the bank. However, this is considered normal, due to the nature of the stream and the soil type.

Timber cover is of willow, water maple, cottonwood and elm. Grass and weeds only grow on the first bench above the water.

Wildlife species observed: This stream is apparently attractive to wood ducks, especially for brood purposes. There were 109 young and 31 adults observed. Deer are abundant. One heron and a muskrat were observed.

Human activity: Not much activity along this stream was noted due to the military activities in the area.

General observations: This is one of few stretches not subject to agricultural damage. The stream has considerable potential for development and would be valuable for recreational purposes in the densely populated

area.

Salt River

This stretch, covering fourteen miles reached from Pitt's Point on Ft. Knox to Shepherdsville in Bullitt County.

Status of streambank habitat: There are only three medium sized blocks of woods along this stream from Shepherdsville to the Ft. Knox

boundary. The vegetative belt along this stream is narrow and all adjacent land is in intense cultivation and pasture. From Pitt's Point to the Ft. Knox boundary toward Shepherdsville, the banks have been cleared for one hundred feet on both sides. This habitat decimation was performed by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, reportedly to prevent headwater flooding into the Shepherdsville area. The stream is heavily silted and is strewn with stumps and snags. The absence of bank cover for 100 feet on each side eliminates any value of the habitat for wildlife or recreational pursuits.

General observations: This reportedly was an excellent rough fish stream with exceptionally large catfish taken at frequent intervals. There were high populations of wood ducks, squirrels and other local wildlife species present. In its present condition it is of little value for hunting or other recreational pursuits. It would be useful to ascertain the efficiency of this flood control project in terms of rapid run-off and silt filled channel vs. natural water retarding vegetation with the normal channel. There is also a moral and monetary evaluation due the people considering the net value of the project, including the cost of clearing and long-term maintenance vs. the loss of habitat, wildlife, fish and recreation. Projects of this type point out the need for an unbiased appraisal of ultimate values to all uses of streams and streambank habitat prior to approval by the state water authority.

Nolin River

This section is located in Hart County from Millerstown to Broad Ford. The total distance studied was fifteen miles.

Status of streambank habitat: The portion considered normal totaled eleven miles. The right bank is mostly steep to moderate and bordered along much of the way by cliffs. The largest trees, sycamore, ranged from sixteen inches to twenty-six inches d. b. h. Other species including maple, elm, ash, box-elder and beech, ranged from sixteen inches to six inches d. b. h. Willow of small size is found where the banks were previously cleared to the water's edge. Approximately four miles was cleared for agricultural purposes. In most cases the banks were cleared to the edge of the water.

Wildlife species observed: Several species of songbirds were recorded. Sixteen wood ducks, including one brood were seen. Squirrels and deer sign were noted.

Human activities. Six fishing sites, one camp site and five boats were recorded. Numerous limb-lines and one basket was seen. Two men were encountered fishing.

General observations: This is a high quality stream for all kinds of outdoor pursuits. The adjacent habitat is rather narrow, due to intensive farming in the area. Erosion from nearby fields is severe enough to cause the water to be muddy much of the year. Quality can be improved and maintained by controlling the destructive practices and adding a filter strip of vegetation along field edges and promoting streambank cover.

Barren River

This stretch begins near the headwaters of the Barren River in Monroe County, reaching from Gamaliel to the bridge over Highway 87 near Akersville. The distance is fourteen miles.

Status of streambank habitat: The portion considered to be normal totaled eleven and three-fourths miles. Large, medium and small trees of several species including birch, elm, elder, sycamore, basswood, hemlock, oak and hickory provide bank canopy and berm cover. Most of the extent surveyed is bounded by bluffs at varying distances from the stream bed. About two and one-fourth miles has been cleared to the immediate banks for pasture or cultivation. Severe eroding has exposed gravel and altered the channel in some areas. Trees felled directly into the stream, block the channel, and cause flooding of some of the bottomland. Evidence of taking river gravel for road work was noticed.

Wildlife species observed: Recorded were wood ducks, cardinals, warblers, pileated woodpeckers, squirrels and muskrats.

Human activities noted: There were fifteen people seen fishing. Nine john-boats were in use or tied to the banks. No hunting season was open. Several camp sites and one picnic area was noted.

General observations: This is a high quality section of stream and streambank habitat. Largely, it is in normal condition. The quality can be maintained with a minimum of management, if destructive practices can be controlled.