| Floyds Fork | |
| Source1 Location: | Smithfield, Kentucky |
| Mouth Location: | Bullitt County, Kentucky |
| Subdivision Type1: | Country |
| Subdivision Name1: | United States |
| Length: | 62adj=midNaNadj=mid |
| Source1 Elevation: | 886feet |
| Discharge1 Location: | Shepherdsville, Kentucky |
Floyds Fork is a 62adj=midNaNadj=mid[1] tributary of the Salt River in Kentucky, directly south and east of Louisville. It begins in Henry County, near Smithfield Kentucky, flows through eastern Jefferson County and flows into the Salt River near Shepherdsville in Bullitt County.
It runs for about through Jefferson County and drains approximately 122sqmi, making it the largest watershed in the county. It is also the least environmentally compromised watershed in the county, according to the Metropolitan Sewer District, as large-scale development in the southeastern portions of Jefferson County is still relatively sparse. To preserve its rural character, much of Floyds Fork south of I-64 was zoned rural residential in 1993.[2]
At Mount Washington, Floyds Fork has a discharge of approximately 387 cubic feet per second.[3]
The proposed City of Parks initiative by Louisville would purchase 2000acres of land along the river and establish three to four parks, as well as hiking and other recreational trails.[4]
Floyds Fork is named for John Floyd, an early surveyor of the area. During the Civil War, Confederate and Union forces skirmished on Floyds Fork and what is now US 60 (Shelbyville Road, locally) on October 1, 1862.
In August 2010, Louisville's newest public parks system was named according to the waterways, the one unifying feature that ties the four primary parks together, and that runs through and unites the nearly 4000acres of park system being created in the eastern and southeastern part of the county;
A 3.5adj=midNaNadj=mid narrow strip of connecting land between Pope Lick Park and Turkey Run Park, called "The Strand", will encompass another 353acres.
Turkey Run Park will be the city's second-largest park, behind the Jefferson Memorial Forest.
The Parklands of Floyds Fork are operated by Louisville nonprofit, 21st Century Parks. The new park system relies on donor-support, memberships, and an endowment for annual operations.
In recent years, the area surrounding Floyds Fork has been subject to new property development. In order to protect the tributary from developers, the Future Fund has purchased 115 acres of land, which were otherwise going to become a subdivision. The aim of this organisation is to preserve the creek by making sure it is only being used for recreation, reducing private development to a minimum.[5]