Biology at SCC
Freshwater Ecology & Watershed Research

Field site · Campus research site

Allen Branch

A small stream mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey a short distance from Somerset Community College's main campus at 808 Monticello Street, Somerset, Kentucky. It is the portal's first research site and the place where SCC students will build a record of a local freshwater system from the ground up.

Overview

Site name
Allen Branch Mapped
Known aliases
None recorded (not yet checked)
Region
Somerset, Pulaski County, Kentucky
Campus reference
Somerset Community College, main campus
Map center point
808 Monticello Street (Kentucky 911 address point) Mapped
Distance from campus
About 250 m to the nearest point of the mapped stream (straight line)
Environment
Freshwater stream
Stream classification
Intermittent, per USGS NHD Mapped
Subwatershed
Lower Pitman Creek (HUC 051301030204)
Receiving water (mapped)
Sinking Creek → Pitman Creek → Lake Cumberland
Upstream drainage area
Not yet delineated
Surrounding land cover
Not yet assessed
Monitoring stations
None on Allen Branch found
Preliminary habitat
Shaded stream corridor Unverified
Watershed status
Under investigation
Sampling status
Initial reconnaissance

What this profile does not claim

  • No water-quality measurement, organism record or photograph from Allen Branch exists yet.
  • Allen Branch is not a documented cyanobacterial bloom site.
  • The downstream connection is the USGS-mapped path; it has not been walked or confirmed at different flows, and karst may divert water underground.
  • No upstream drainage area, land-cover percentage, agricultural influence or pollution source has been determined. Nearby land use is not evidence of what reaches the stream.
  • No campus access coordinates are published until faculty record them on site.

Labels used on this page: Unverified Mapped Field confirmed Laboratory confirmed — what they mean.

Site map

Full mapping page →

The interactive map needs JavaScript. The facts table lists the same information.

What is known, and how

Every row states its evidence level and source. Values come from the providers' current services, queried on the date shown [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9].

Allen Branch: what is known, how it is known, and how sure we are
AttributeValueEvidenceSource & notes
Stream name Allen Branch (GNIS feature ID 00485848) Mapped USGS National Hydrography Dataset (name and GNIS ID carried on the NHD flowline) (checked 2026-11-05)
Aliases: none recorded. Local or historical names have not been checked.
Campus center point 808 Monticello Street, Somerset, KY 42501 — the center of every portal map (37.05979, −84.61690) Mapped Kentucky 911 Site Structure Address Points (Pulaski County 911 record, updated 2022-05-03), via KyGovMaps (checked 2026-11-05)
An address point, not a surveyed campus location. The U.S. Census Geocoder places the same address 268 m to the northwest by street-range interpolation; the 911 address point is used instead.
Distance from campus center to the mapped stream About 250 m (straight line) to the nearest point of the NHD Allen Branch centerline; the mapped line extends to about 2.2 km away Mapped Computed from the two mapped datasets above (911 address point; USGS NHD flowline) (checked 2026-11-05)
Straight-line map distance only — not a walking route, an access point, or a field measurement.
NHD feature type Stream/River — intermittent (FCode 46003) Mapped USGS NHD high-resolution flowline, reach code 05130103001019 (checked 2026-11-05)
A map classification. Whether the stream flows year-round, seasonally or only after rain has not been observed and is a research question.
Mapped length 4.02 km (NHD flowline length) Mapped USGS NHD attribute lengthkm (checked 2026-11-05)
Length of the mapped centerline only; unmapped headwater channels are not included.
Mapped flow direction Generally west to east along the mapped line, toward its junction with Sinking Creek Mapped USGS NHD digitized flow direction (flowdir = 1) (checked 2026-11-05)
Field confirmation pending.
Downstream connection (mapped) Allen Branch → Sinking Creek (perennial) → Pitman Creek → Lake Cumberland (Cumberland River) Mapped USGS NHD flowline network traced downstream reach by reach; Lake Cumberland identified as NHD waterbody GNIS 00490483 (reservoir) (checked 2026-11-05)
This is the mapped surface path. It has not been walked or verified. In this karst setting, part of the flow may move underground, and the name 'Sinking Creek' itself hints at sinking streams. Do not treat the connection as established for any flow condition until field-checked.
Subwatershed (HUC 12) 051301030204 — Lower Pitman Creek (128.26 km²) Mapped USGS Watershed Boundary Dataset; the mapped Allen Branch line intersects only this 12-digit unit (checked 2026-11-05)
The area is that of the whole HUC 12, not of Allen Branch's own drainage. WBD lists the next unit downstream as 051301030401 (Meadow Creek–Cumberland River).
Watershed (HUC 10) and subbasin (HUC 8) 0513010302 — Pitman Creek–Cumberland River; 05130103 — Upper Cumberland–Lake Cumberland (Ohio Region 05) Mapped USGS Watershed Boundary Dataset (checked 2026-11-05)
Upstream drainage area Not yet delineated Unverified — (checked 2026-11-05)
To be delineated with USGS StreamStats or lidar in QGIS, with the method recorded. No area is estimated on this site until then.
Bedrock geology along the mapped corridor Upper Mississippian limestones: St. Louis Limestone at a point in the upper reach (Delmer Quadrangle, GQ-909); Salem and Warsaw Limestones at a point near the lower reach (Somerset Quadrangle, GQ-1196) Mapped Kentucky Geological Survey 1:24,000 geologic map service (two points queried, not the whole corridor), digitized from USGS Geologic Quadrangle maps GQ-909 (Delmer, 1971) and GQ-1196 (Somerset, 1974) by R. Q. Lewis (checked 2026-11-05)
Karst potential (regional) 'Intense' (Ste. Genevieve & St. Louis Limestones) at the upper-reach point; 'Prone' (Salem, Warsaw & Harrodsburg Limestones) at the lower-reach point Mapped Kentucky Geological Survey 1:500,000 karst-potential map service (checked 2026-11-05)
Regional-scale classification. It indicates that groundwater flow may differ from surface drainage here; it does not show any specific sinkhole, spring or conduit on Allen Branch.
Mapped karst features (NHD) None mapped on or within 25–50 m of the Allen Branch line. Nearby, NHD maps springs/seeps, sinks/rises and underground conduits — 18, 10 and 15 features respectively in a roughly 7 × 7 km box around campus Mapped USGS NHD point layer (FType 458 SpringSeep, 450 SinkRise) and flowlines (FType 420 Underground Conduit) (checked 2026-11-05)
Absence of a mapped feature is not evidence that none exists; most karst connections are unmapped. Box: 84.66–84.58° W, 37.04–37.10° N.
Dye-traced karst connections (KGS) None mapped on Allen Branch. The nearest KGS dye-trace sites are about 1.4–1.6 km from the campus address point: Correll Swallet (a dye injection site) and Weir Spring and Railroad Mill Bottom Spring (recovery springs). The nearest traced groundwater flow path is about 1.1 km from the mapped stream, and the 'Slide' karst groundwater basin lies about 1.5 km away Mapped Kentucky Geological Survey karst groundwater basins and dye-trace map service (KYGWKarstBasins); distances computed from the mapped geometry (checked 2026-11-05)
Straight-line map distances. Dye tracing is the evidence that shows where karst water actually goes, but no trace has been run from or to Allen Branch, so its groundwater connections remain unknown — not 'unconnected'. In the wider 20 × 19 km area around campus, KGS maps 61 dye-trace sites, 47 traced flow paths and 5 karst groundwater basins.
Surrounding land cover Not yet assessed Unverified — (checked 2026-11-05)
NLCD 2021 can be viewed on the map. Land-cover percentages will be calculated only after the drainage area is delineated. Nearby land use is not evidence of what reaches the stream.
Monitoring stations on Allen Branch None found Mapped Water Quality Portal station search for HUC 051301030204; USGS gage layer (checked 2026-11-05)
The same HUC 12 contains registered Kentucky Division of Water locations on Pitman Creek (CRW023 'Pitman Creek at Cabin Hollow Road'; CRW024 'Pitman Creek downstream of Somerset WWTP') and three U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Nashville District locations (two stream, one reservoir). Registration does not mean current sampling.
Campus access point (coordinates) Not yet recorded Unverified — (checked 2026-11-05)
Not the same as the campus street address. Every portal map is centered on 808 Monticello Street (see 'Campus center point'); a GPS position for the actual creek access point will be recorded on the first faculty-led visit.
Habitat Shaded stream corridor Unverified Preliminary description supplied by faculty (checked 2026-11-05)
To be documented with canopy-cover measurements and photographs at defined stations.
Cyanobacteria at Allen Branch No observations recorded Unverified — (checked 2026-11-05)
Allen Branch is not a documented bloom site. Whether benthic cyanobacteria occur here is an open question for student research.

Watershed investigation checklist

The research tasks that turn this profile from mapped facts into field-confirmed knowledge. Status changes only when documentation is added.

  1. Confirm campus access coordinates Not started

    Record a GPS position (with accuracy) for the safe access point used by classes, plus the route and any permissions needed.

  2. Verify mapped stream identity Mapped

    NHD names the flowline 'Allen Branch' (GNIS 00485848). Still to do: confirm that the channel reached from campus is this mapped line, and check county and local sources for other names.

    Documentation: NHD flowline layer

  3. Delineate upstream drainage Not started

    Delineate the basin above defined sampling points with USGS StreamStats; record date, tool version and the pour-point coordinates.

    Documentation: USGS StreamStats

  4. Identify downstream confluences Mapped

    NHD maps Allen Branch joining Sinking Creek, which flows to Pitman Creek. Field verification of the junction and of flow continuity at different seasons is pending.

    Documentation: Mapped path on the site map

  5. Determine ultimate receiving waters Mapped

    NHD routes the mapped path into Lake Cumberland on the Cumberland River (Ohio River basin). Surface mapping only.

  6. Assess agricultural land cover Not started

    After delineation, summarize NLCD and Cropland Data Layer classes inside the basin in QGIS. Report areas with their data year and resolution. Land cover alone will not be used to infer pollution.

    Documentation: Cropland Data Layer

  7. Identify possible stormwater inputs Not started

    Inventory pipes, ditches and culverts entering the channel during a dry-weather walk; photograph and GPS each one. Possible inputs are listed as possible until flow is observed.

  8. Examine karst connectivity In progress

    KGS maps place the corridor on Mississippian limestones with 'intense' to 'prone' karst potential. KGS dye traces exist about 1–2 km away (nearest flow path about 1.1 km from the stream), but none involves Allen Branch, and NHD maps no spring, sink or conduit on it. Next: look for losing or gaining reaches in the field; any dye trace would be a project for qualified investigators.

    Documentation: KGS karst potential service, KGS dye traces & karst basins

  9. Establish sampling stations Not started

    Choose safe, repeatable stations (for example upstream, near campus, and above the Sinking Creek junction), each with a code, GPS position and photo.

  10. Conduct field verification Not started

    First faculty-led reconnaissance: confirm channel location, flow state, canopy, substrate and access, and record the visit as a field observation.

Access and safety

Field safety rules →
Access not yet documented The campus access route, permission requirements and a safe entry point have not been recorded. Until faculty publish them here, visit Allen Branch only with a faculty member.
Before and during every visit
  • Do not enter the water during or after heavy rain, or when flow is high or turbid.
  • Wear gloves for water, sediment and biofilm; wash hands afterward.
  • Do not touch or collect surface scums or thick mats; photograph them and tell faculty.
  • Watch footing on wet rock and banks; stay clear of culverts and road crossings.
  • Report dead fish or animals rather than sampling them.

Field observations

All observation records →

No observations have been published for Allen Branch yet.

Each visit will record date and time, observers, GPS position and accuracy, weather, recent rainfall, water temperature, pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, nitrate, phosphate, depth, flow, canopy cover, substrate, visible biofilms, photographs and suspected organisms — every measurement with its unit and method. See the observation data dictionary.

QR code linking to the observation form
At the creek? Submit an observation with photos from your phone — the form reads the time and GPS position from your photos.

Research questions for this site

All questions →

Data sources

  1. U.S. Geological Survey (2026). National Hydrography Dataset (NHD), high resolution — map service. The National Map. https://hydro.nationalmap.gov/arcgis/rest/services/nhd/MapServer (accessed 2026-11-05) Service states 'Data Refreshed October, 2026'. Queried 2026-11-05.
  2. U.S. Geological Survey (2026). Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD) — map service. The National Map. https://hydro.nationalmap.gov/arcgis/rest/services/wbd/MapServer (accessed 2026-11-05) Service states 'Data refreshed October, 2026'. Queried 2026-11-05.
  3. Kentucky 911 Services Board (2026). Kentucky 911 Site Structure Address Points — map service. KyGovMaps (Commonwealth of Kentucky). https://kygisserver.ky.gov/arcgis/rest/services/WGS84WM_Services/Ky_911_Site_Structure_Address_Points_WGS84WM/MapServer/0 (accessed 2026-11-05) Record for 808 Monticello St maintained by Pulaski County 911 (pulaski911.com), updated 2022-05-03. Queried 2026-11-05.
  4. Kentucky Geological Survey (2026). Kentucky 1:24,000 geologic formations (KY24KGeologicFormations_WGS84) — map service. Kentucky Geological Survey. https://kgs.uky.edu/arcgis/rest/services/GeologicMapData/KY24KGeologicFormations_WGS84/MapServer (accessed 2026-11-05) Digitized from 707 USGS/KGS 7.5-minute geologic quadrangle maps (1960-1980). Queried 2026-11-05.
  5. Lewis, R. Q. (1971). Geologic map of the Delmer quadrangle, Pulaski County, Kentucky. U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Quadrangle 909. https://doi.org/10.3133/gq909 Title, year and DOI verified with Crossref; author from the USGS Publications Warehouse record.
  6. Lewis, R. Q. (1974). Geologic map of the Somerset quadrangle, Pulaski County, Kentucky. U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Quadrangle 1196. https://doi.org/10.3133/gq1196 Title, year and DOI verified with Crossref; author from the USGS Publications Warehouse record.
  7. Kentucky Geological Survey (2026). Karst groundwater basins, groundwater flow paths, and dye injection/recovery points (KYGWKarstBasins) — map service. Kentucky Geological Survey. https://kgs.uky.edu/arcgis/rest/services/KYWater/KYGWKarstBasins/MapServer (accessed 2026-11-05) Queried 2026-11-05. KGS: the dataset shows general karst groundwater flow but does not guarantee the accuracy of flow paths or basin boundaries.
  8. National Water Quality Monitoring Council (2026). Water Quality Portal — monitoring locations in HUC 051301030204. Water Quality Portal. https://www.waterqualitydata.us/data/Station/search?huc=051301030204&mimeType=csv (accessed 2026-11-05) Queried 2026-11-05.
  9. U.S. Census Bureau (2026). Census Geocoder (Public_AR_Current benchmark). U.S. Census Bureau. https://geocoding.geo.census.gov/geocoder/ (accessed 2026-11-05) Address-range interpolation; the returned point is approximate. Queried 2026-11-05.