Water, water, everywhere! – though oftentimes unseen! Kentucky has over 90,000 miles of surface rivers and streams. Natural, underground waterways are also very present in Kentucky. Lexington’s annual Water Week event celebrates these waterways and highlights our role in protecting them.
Water Week includes events for all ages, abilities and interests.
Water Week is sponsored by the University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Fayette County Public Schools, the City of Lexington and local watershed groups.
Water Week Events 2025
Stream Walk at Veterans Park
Saturday, March 22 | 9 – 10:30 a.m.
Veterans Park Picnic Shelter #1 | 650 Southpoint Drive
Host: Hickman Creek Conservancy
Take a short walk along and near West Hickman Creek in Veterans Park as we have a chat about water quality and the West Hickman Watershed.
Test the Waters! With Lexington Parks and Recreation
Saturday, March 22 | 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Raven Run Nature Sanctuary | 3885 Raven Run Way
Host: Parks and Recreation
Parking instructions: Please park in the visitor parking lot. Check-in at the Nature Center.
Want to help take care of our water? Did you know that you can learn a lot about the quality of our creeks, lakes and rivers just by exploring what critters live in them and by conducting a few simple chemical tests? Come join us at Raven Run Nature Sanctuary to learn how to do water quality tests and how you can become more involved in the stewardship of your local waterways. The program is best suited for adults and children 10+ years. Registration is required. The program is free. If we have inclement weather, the program will be held indoors. If you have any issues registering, call the Nature Center at (859) 272-6105.
Pre-register here
Streambank Cleanup at Gardenside Park
Saturday, March 22 | 10 – 11 a.m.
Gardenside Park | 1835 Yorktown Road, Lexington, KY 40504
Host: Gardenside Neighborhood Association
Spring is here and it’s time to celebrate our waterways. Let’s gather at Gardenside Park on March 22, 2025 to cleanup our streambank along the Wolf Run creek as it makes it way through Gardenside Park. We will pick up trash in the streambank buffer and if the water level permits, clean trash from the creek bed. Participants should wear closed-toe shoes and if planning to enter the water, waterproof boots. Work gloves, vinyl gloves, trash bags and trash pickers will be available. We will meet under the pavilion at Gardenside Park.
Reforest Frenzy 5K, 1 mile!
Saturday, March 22 | 8 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Hisle Farm Park | 3551 Briar Hill Road
Host: John’s Run/Walk Shop
John’s Bluegrass Racing Company, ASICS, and Lexington’s Division of Environmental Services are excited to present the Reforest Frenzy 5K, 10K, and 1-Mile Dash at Hisle Farm Park. Race proceeds will help raise money to purchase trees for this year’s Reforest the Bluegrass in April. With your help, we hope to plant hundreds of trees after the race at home and thousands more during Reforest the Bluegrass. All race participants will get race prizes, including the option to take a tree to plant at home after their run or walk. Participants can also choose to have their tree planted on their behalf at a 2025 Reforest the Bluegrass event. Register for race
Waverly Park Volunteer Day
Sunday, March 23 | 2 – 4 p.m.
Waverly Park | 4244 Southmoor Park
Host: Friends of Waverly Park
Join Friends of Waverly and Parks for a volunteer workday! We will be removing invasive plants, working in our pollinator garden, mulching, and starting a rain garden. Please bring gloves, shovels, garden trowels, and/or wheelbarrows if you have them. Where your closed toe shoes!
Register for event
Stormwater Sleuths
Monday, March 24 | 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
548 E Sixth Street
Host: LFUCG, Division of Water Quality
Come learn what’s hiding in stormwater and the tools you can use to solve the crime! You will learn about water quality parameters, urban stormwater challenges, and the ways you can help improve the quality of the stormwater around you. You will be able to take part in a hands on water quality testing activity.
UK Stream Resoration BioBlitz
Monday, March 24 | 1 – 3 p.m.
103 Regulatory Services Bldg
Host: UK Department of Forestry and Natural Resources
Join us as we explore and document the various organisms living in and around the stream using iNaturalist. This bioblitz event will be held at the Alumni Drive/Nicholasville Road stream restoration site on University of Kentucky’s campus on 3/24/25 from 1:00 – 3:00 pm as a part of Lexington’s Water Week. Parking is controlled in the area, so participants without a UK parking pass will need to park off campus and walk over to join us. We will meet at the upstream pavilion near the roundabout by UK Regulatory Services.
Register for event
Parking: Parking is controlled in the area, so participants without a UK parking pass will need to park off campus and walk over to join us. We will meet at the upstream pavilion near the roundabout by UK Regulatory Services.
Coldstream Park Trash Pickup
Wednesday, March 26 | 1 – 3 p.m.
Coldstream Park | Legacy Trail Parking Lot
Host: Stantec & EcoGro
Cane Run runs through the Coldstream Park and is an important recreational destination with many ecological features unique to Lexington including a connection to the Bluegrass’ karst system through a number of sinks, swallets, springs, and other groundwater-to-surface water features. The Legacy Trail provides access to Cane Run along Coldstream Park with a stunning view of the stream and riparian habitat. Lexington is headwaters to Cane Run and the urban watershed contributes pollutants associated with the dense urban setting – namely floatable trash. Two Lexington businesses, EcoGro Inc. and Stantec Consulting Services Inc., are dedicated to removing this trash from Cane Run. A key location for trash removal is at Coldstream Park – come join us as we remove trash, walk the riparian habitat, and discuss the challenges with urban streams.
A Stream Dream: Practicing Stream Restoration and Conservation
Wednesday, March 26 | noon – 2 p.m.
2516 Sandersville Rd
Host: Beaver Creek Hydrology, LLC
Beaver Creek Hydrology, LLC is hosting a Water Week event to highlight our favorite topic: Streams! These vital tributaries play a key role in the health of larger waterways and local ecosystems. Join us for a mini lecture and fun activities focused on stream buffer zones through invasive species management and promoting biodiversity, identifying aquatic macroinvertebrates (bugs!), and understanding water quality indicators.
Event website
UK Stream Restoration BioBlitz
Wednesday, March 26 | 1 – 3 p.m.
570 Wildcat Ct
Host: UK Department of Forestry and Natural Resources
Join us as we explore and document the various organisms living in and around the stream using iNaturalist. This bioblitz event will be held at the Alumni Drive stream restoration site adjacent to John Cropp Softball Stadium on University of Kentucky’s campus on 3/26/25 from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm as a part of Lexington’s Water Week. The stream restoration site is a short walk from the lot. We will meet at the parking lot behind the softball stadium and walk to the site as a group.
Parking: Parking will be available behind John Cropp Softball Stadium. The stream restoration site is a short walk from the lot. We will meet at the parking lot and walk to the site as a group.
Register for event
The Watershed Scale of Climate Change
Thursday, March 27 | 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Floracliff Nature Sanctuary
Host: Floracliff Nature Sanctuary
Seminar Presenter: Dr. Alice Jones
Wendell Berry once said, “Our understandable wish to preserve the planet must somehow be reduced to the scale of our competence–that is to wish to preserve all of its humble households and neighborhoods.” Thinking about climate change through the nested hierarchy of waterways and watersheds—-the tiniest backyard tributaries merging into larger and larger streams and rivers at the regional and continental scale–helps us reduce the scale of a global challenge to a neighborhood and community scale. We’ll examine global and regional climate predictions in the Kentucky River and its nested tributary watersheds to better understand how a changing climate will affect both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems in and around our “humble households and neighborhoods.”
Register for event
Parking: There is a 1/3-mile walk from the visitor parking lot to the Trail’s End Lodge. Closer parking is available by request
Fishing with Daniel Boone
Thursday, March 27 | 6 – 8 p.m.
McConnell Springs Park | 416 Rebmann Lane
Host: Bluegrass Trout Unlimited
Join Bill Carmen, professional fishing guide and accomplished author, to enjoy a conversational journey through the rivers and streams of Daniel Boone’s life – including the stories of Boone’s adventures on 25 of those streams, and the modern perspective of a fly fisherman today. Audience members will learn more about the history of Kentucky and how Boone experienced our local waterways, a celebration of both history and water. This event is free and open to the public, and accessible for all ages.
Facebook event
Kilrush Food Forest Riparian Buffer Cleanup and Community Gathering
Thursday, March 27 | 12:30 – 3:30 p.m.
1135 Kilrush Dr
Host: Geomancer Permaculture, LLC & UK Department of Forestry and Natural Resources
Geomancer Permaculture, LLC and the University of Kentucky Department of Forestry and Natural Resources are partnering to host a riparian buffer cleanup and community gathering at the Kilrush Food Forest on Thursday, March 27th from 12:30 – 3:30pm. Join us as we work together to clean up a substantial dump site in the riparian forest across the creek from the food forest and connect with other community members. Tools, gloves, and refreshments will be provided.
Event website
Parking: Parking is available on the street at 1135 Kilrush Dr., Lexington, KY 40504 or at the Valley Park parking lot.
Town Branch Commons Water Walk
Thursday, March 27 | 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
540 E Third St
Host: LFUCG – Div. of Environmental Services and Div. of Parks & Recreation
Join us at Town Branch Commons for a Water Walk in celebration of Water Week! We will be walking the trail, picking up litter, and learning about historical Town Branch. Gloves, trash pickers, and bags will be provided. Please dress appropriately for working outdoors and bring water. Learn more about Town Branch Commons here.
Register for event
Parking: Participants should park in the spots along Lewis Street and meet at the Charles Young Park playground. We will travel westward along the trail towards downtown and then loop back around.
Farm Road Rain Garden Cleanup
Friday, March 28 | 1 – 4 p.m.
1398 Nicholasville Rd
Host: University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment
This event is a service-learning event at the University of Kentucky’s Farm Road Rain Garden. Participants will learn about green infrastructure for stormwater management and the benefits of incorporating green spaces and outdoor learning environments into campus. There will also be a service portion of the event where participants will clean up trash, manage plants, and mulch the site. The event’s primary focus is UK students from around campus, but community members are welcome to stop by. However, no parking will be available nearby for individuals without a UK parking permit.
Event website
Parking: No parking will be available nearby for individuals without a UK parking permit. The event is being held at this location.
Litter Pick-Up in Idle Hour Park
Saturday, March 29 | 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
212 St. Ann Drive
Host: Idle Hour Neighbors Alliance
We will pick up debris and litter from the banks of our park’s streams and from the stream beds.
Idle Hour website
Parking: It’s best to park along St. Ann Drive.
Bluegrass Watershed Summit
Saturday, March 29 | 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
500 Newtown Pike
Host: Bluegrass Watershed Summit
Join us for a day of learning and collaboration as we discuss ways to protect and preserve our local watershed. The summit will feature informative sessions, interactive workshops, and networking opportunities with experts in the field. Whether you’re a student, a community member, or a professional in the environmental sector, this event is perfect for anyone passionate about water conservation. Don’t miss out on this chance to make a difference in our Bluegrass community!
Register for event
Location: Located at Bluegrass Community & Technical College. In main building on Newtown Pike Campus; Room 106 (Keeneland Room)
