Kentucky Rivers Coalition records
Abstract
The Kentucky Rivers Coalition records (dated 1889, 1937-1988, undated; 39.61 cubic feet, 50 boxes) primarily comprises operating records, subject files, publications, and photographs that document the work of the Kentucky Rivers Coalition and the environmental protection efforts of federal and state governments in the eastern and mid-western United States.
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Kentucky Rivers Coalition records
- Date
- 1889, 1937-1988, undated (inclusive)
- Extent
- 39.61 Cubic Feet
- Subjects
- Rivers -- Kentucky.
- Conservation of natural resources
- Records -- United States
- Water resources development -- Appalachian Region
- Flood dams and reservoirs -- Kentucky.
- Flood damage prevention -- Kentucky -- Harlan
- Water quality -- Kentucky
- Arrangement
- Collection is arranged by subject into four series: Operating records, Subject files, Publications, and Photographs.
- Preferred Citation
- 89m2: [identification of item], Kentucky Rivers Coalition records, 1889, 1937-1988, undated, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
- Repository
- University of Kentucky
Collection Overview
- Biography / History
- The Kentucky Rivers Coalition (KRC) was founded in 1976 to unite individual landowners in the Northeastern and Eastern portions of Kentucky to deal with policy issues concerning water resources and oil-shale strip mining. The original interest of KRC was to "protect landowners and rural communities from proliferating dams promoted by the Army Corps of Engineers." Later the KRC became interested in issues concerning strip mining's effect on water resources. Money was flowing freely into the state to build dams for flood control and protection, however the KRC recognized that federal policy was aimed towards urban over rural flood protection and fought to have a reasonable and economical approach to flood control and protection. Primarily recognized as an anti-dam group, they were supportive of economically feasible dams that did not displace landowners. The Kentucky Rivers Coalition assisted landowners in appropriately leasing their land to the government and ensured federal policy enhanced rural communities instead of displacing them. The Kentucky Resources Council succeeded the Kentucky Rivers Coalition in the mid-1980s and continues the KRC's work in environmental advocacy and landowner education across Kentucky.
- Sources: Stephen L. Fisher, Fighting Back in Appalachia: Traditions of Resistance and Change (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1993), 132.
- Scope and Content
- The Kentucky Rivers Coalition records (dated 1889, 1937-1988, undated; 39.61 cubic feet, 50 boxes) primarily comprises operating records, subject files, publications, and photographs that document the work of the Kentucky Rivers Coalition and the environmental protection efforts of federal and state governments in the eastern and mid-western United States. The Operating records series documents the history of the KRC as an organization, the actions of their board and their involvement with the federal government and various lawsuits. The series consists of annual status reports, correspondence, and research materials for projects. The subject files, broken down alphabetically, include information on Appalachia, energy, coal mining, environmental agencies such as the Environmental Policy Agency, organizations like the Rural Coalition, flood control, legislation, and lawsuits such as the Red River lawsuit and cost-sharing lawsuit. A majority of the files pertain to Kentucky, particularly counties in eastern Kentucky such as Harlan, Wolfe, Magoffin, Floyd, and Johnson; other locations include surrounding states such as West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Ohio. The publications series consist of items published by United States federal departments and agencies such as the Army Corps of Engineers, Department of the Interior, Department of Energy, and Congress; Kentucky and other state governments; and organizations such as the Appalachian Regional Commission and National Science Foundation. The series also includes other publications on rivers and lakes in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Mississippi. The photograph series consist of images of pertaining to the activities of the Kentucky Rivers Coalition including staff meetings, picnics, flood damage and clean-up, conferences, and rivers and creeks across the Kentucky.
Restrictions on Access and Use
- Conditions Governing Access
- Collection is open to researchers by appointment.
- Use Restrictions
- The physical rights to the materials in this collection are held by the University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.