Project Title: Ohio River Comprehensive Planning 

Project Title: Ohio River Comprehensive Planning

Duration: Summer of 2024, 8 weeks

Overview: In partnership with Metro Louisville, this CEEEM Ohio River summer research project aims to support the development of the 1996 Ohio River Corridor Master Plan, The Ohio River Way’s application to become a National Watertrail and the 2024 legislation to develop the Kentucky Ohio River Regional Recreation Authority.   These plans are transitioning into a regional blueprint, extending its scope to cover both sides of the river within KIPDA's boundaries, embracing multiple counties in Kentucky and Indiana while connecting our region to the rest of the Ohio River .

Educational Integration: Leveraging the University of Louisville's resources, this project will immerse students in STEM education, focusing on urban planning and environmental studies. Students will be actively involved in reviewing the previous plan's successes and crafting an initial outline for the new planning process.

Community Engagement: We will conduct extensive community outreach in rivertowns such as West Point, New Albany, Clarksville, and others. This includes social media and website review, collaborative planning sessions, and data collection.   River City Paddle Sports will organize four voyageur canoes trips to document river communities and access points from Milton to West Point.

Innovation and High Impact Practices: Utilizing the National Park Service’s Rivertown Review Toolkit, we will assess and enhance outdoor recreation resources in each river town. This innovative approach tied with GIS will support the Ohio River's nomination for a National Water Trail, incorporating community-supported projects and activities.

Sustainability and Impact: Our aim is to create a sustainable model for river town planning that can be replicated across the Ohio River region and other similar areas, fostering long-term community and workforce development.

Key Stakeholders:

·   National Park Service River, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Service

·   Ohio River Way

·   KIPDA - Kentucky Indiana Planning

·   Metro Louisville Planning - Louisville Forward

·   Envirome

·   Representatives from West Point, New Albany, Clarksville, Jeffersonville, New Albany, Westport and Milton and their associated counties.

Deliverables:

·   A GIS story map of the Ohio River from Milton to West Point

·   An enhanced contact list of river stakeholders

·   A detailed description of the Kentucky State Blue Water Trail

·   Contributions to the Ohio River Way’s National Water Trail application