Parks and Recreation System Master Plan Update (2016) parks_and_recreation_system_master_plan_update_oct | Page 49

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Butchertown Greenway
Karen Lynch Park
A Master Plan for the South Fork of Beargrass Creek, prepared in 1993 by the Beargrass
Creek Task Force, contains recommendations for restoring and enhancing the environmental,
recreational, and educational value of this waterway.
Goose Creek and Harrods Creek
Goose Creek and Harrods Creek are both deeply incised streams that flow into the Ohio
River in the northeastern part of Louisville.
Goose Creek
The Goose Creek Watershed is comprised of two sub-basins: Goose Creek and Little
Goose Creek. The overall Goose Creek Watershed occupies approximately 19 square miles.
About 11 percent of the Goose Creek
sub-basin consists of impervious
surfaces, and 18 percent of the Little
Goose Creek watershed is impervious
surface.
The Goose Creek watershed has
several stream segments on the State
(303d) list for aquatic life and
recreational impairment. The Kentucky
Division of Water (DOW) classifies
streams based upon their potential use,
Hounz Lane Park
such as whether they may be used for
recreational purposes, whether they support aquatic life, etc. The 303d list identifies streams
within Kentucky that do not meet their designated use or partially fail to meet their designated
use.
The Goose Creek Watershed area is currently undergoing intense development. Water
and habitat quality of the streams is reduced because of erosion, silt runoff, and sedimentation
from construction sites. Nutrient levels are high in this area and large nuisance populations of
algae are common. The high level of nutrients can be attributed to the use of lawn chemicals,
agricultural activities, and some remnant septic tank systems. The introduction of sanitary
sewers and the removal of small water quality treatment centers have significantly reduced the
nutrient levels in the stream, especially phosphorus. There are also sufficient Fecal Coliform
bacteria violations to eliminate the stream as suitable for recreational use. About one third of all
Fecal Coliform samples were in violation of recreational contact standards.
Stream analyses indicate moderate levels of impact. Goose Creek has many areas with
good quality instream habitat. Measures need to be taken to protect the habitat quality in the
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III. CONTEXT AND COMMUNITY INVENTORY | October 2016 Update