### Kentucky's Water Resources and Agricultural Pollution  
Kentucky's extensive water network, comprising over 92,000 miles of streams, 1000 square miles of wetlands, and 350 square miles of lakes, serves diverse ecosystem needs. These vital water resources, home to 75% of the state's endangered species, face challenges, as more than half of Kentucky's assessed waterways show some level of impairment [15]. Managing nonpoint source pollution, especially from large-scale agriculture, is challenging. Collaborative efforts involving federal, state, and university programs, like the Kentucky Department for Natural Resources (NRCS), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute (KWRRI), aim to address pollution issues. Legislative measures, such as the Clean Water Act of 1972 and the Kentucky Agriculture Water Quality Act of 1994, underscore the commitment to combat water pollution. The Kentucky Nonpoint Source Program has actively supported watershed planning projects since 2004, leading to the approval of 27 EPA-accepted watershed plans [25].  
Kentucky heavily relies on water resources for agriculture, with crop production exceeding USD 4.2 billion in 2017 [26]. Despite monitoring programs, there is a lack of comprehensive water quality data, particularly in first-order streams in upper watersheds. A spatial and temporal analysis at the stream headwater scale is needed [27; 28], and advances in GIS programs and water quality sensor technology offer opportunities for precise data generation. Kentucky can leverage these technologies to enhance understanding and achieve conservation goals. One of the main waterways in Kentucky, the Kentucky River, has revealed water quality concerns, as it fell below state standards [3]. Unlike agriculture, forest management and timber harvesting have designed forestry best management practices (BMPs) to reduce nonpoint source pollutants on timber harvest sites that loggers follow to meet state guidelines or regulations and sustainable forestry initiative standards [29]. Forestry BMPs have been found to be very effective in reducing nonpoint source pollution and not impacting water quality during and after timber harvesting operations. Agriculture is lacking in regard to implementing similar practices as those performed in forestry, and research in comprehensive comparisons between water quality in agricultural and forested watershed areas is needed.  
This study addressed the gap by analyzing water quality and land cover data in Central Kentucky's outer bluegrass region, focusing on chemical and biological trends in headwater streams. Objectives include geospatial land cover classification using National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) aerial imagery and comparing water quality data from streams in agriculture-dominated and forested areas. This study investigated NPS, particularly agricultural runoff, to assess its impact on water quality. Beyond agriculture, it also emphasizes the role of forested watersheds in understanding water quality. Overall, this study aimed to support watershed management plans in Kentucky, assisting in resource allocation and identifying watersheds prone to poor water quality. The results can contribute to a review of national public policies, specifically addressing land use choices.