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Water Collaboratory


Clean Water and Community Voices: Looking Back on the Evarts Water Resilience Forum
On January 12, 2026, residents of Evarts, Kentucky, gathered at the Evarts Free Pentecostal Holiness Church Fellowship Hall for LiKEN Knowledge’s Community Water Resilience Forum. We had 19 community members in attendance, and I truly appreciate each and every one who took the time to be there. As a born-and-raised Harlan Countian, I appreciated seeing people show up, ask questions, and take an active role in supporting their community’s water story.

Michelle Carroll-Cole
Feb 115 min read


LiKEN Recap 2025: Listening to the Land, Learning from the People
In 2025, LiKEN deepened our commitment to building livelihoods of care across Appalachia, along the coast of Louisiana, throughout the diverse cultural and geographic regions across the United States, and around the globe. Guided by community needs, we expanded our team, strengthened cross–sector partnerships, advanced intercultural climate and water research, and continued to build resources that improve local livelihoods. LiKENeers gathered at Experience Learning in Spruce

LiKEN Team
Dec 31, 202510 min read


No Community Without “U:” What CECs Mean to LiKEN
LiKEN Knowledge is an organization that doesn't just want to invest in communities, but one that wants to be rooted in all communities. Without our strong, empowering, knowledgeable, and passionate CECs, none of these opportunities would be possible.
Madison Mooney
Nov 26, 20253 min read


Tire-Fighters: Reflecting on Kentucky River Cleanup Week’s Successful Conclusion
Of course, it was far from a picnic in the park. We grunted and did quite a bit of primal screaming, but it was all worth it to have made the difference! To quote volunteer Katie Bowling Johnson, “Doing a battle cry while lifting a 600 lb tire with your childhood bestie brings out some primal Appalachian pride!”

Matthew Sparks
Nov 11, 20254 min read


Toxic Tires in the Kentucky River's South Fork
We think of tires as mostly an unsightly nuisance, but the problem is not just an aesthetic one. Not only are tires unsightly, they are dangerous to our health. Tires pose an incredibly alarming source of toxins to our environment and drinking water. When tires break down, they leach toxic chemicals into our waterways. They are in fact: SILENT KILLERS.

Tina Johnson
Oct 30, 20255 min read


A Season of Growth: LiKEN’s Summer Highlights
Summer is always a busy time for LiKEN, and this year has been no different. From creek clean ups and youth paddle camps to Tribal-led...

LiKEN Team
Sep 11, 202510 min read


Rooted in Place, Rising Together
LiKEN Program Updates, Spring 2025 At LiKEN, our work is rooted in relationships to place, to people, and to the knowledge that connects...
Phill Barnett
May 21, 202518 min read


Echoes of a One Thousand Year Flood
LiKENeer Brandon Jent’s Poetry and Appalachian Resilience Brandon Jent shares his work at the Hindman Settlement School's Appalachian...
Phill Barnett
Mar 7, 20254 min read


Strengthening Water Resilience and Equity Across Appalachia
Water Collaboratory Program Fall 2024 Update The Water Collaboratory program has been hard at work this year, driving community...
Phill Barnett
Nov 26, 20242 min read


How Have Disinfection Byproducts Impacted Eastern Kentucky’s Drinking Water?
By Sarah Birnbaum New research shows that failing infrastructure causes significant contamination of drinking water in many Eastern...

LiKEN Team
May 5, 20212 min read


How much is a glass of water?
by Sana Aslam Ricki Draper (past LiKEN Community Engagement Coordinator) and Mary Cromer (Deputy Director of the Appalachian Citizens Law...

LiKEN Team
Mar 5, 20214 min read


Rural Prison Development Meets Water Crises
Rural Prison Bids In 2003, the most expensive federal prison to ever be built opened in Martin County, Kentucky near Inez. The project...

LiKEN Team
Oct 27, 20207 min read


Water Affordability Meets Disability Rights
A recent study of water affordability in an eastern Kentucky county highlights the voices of disabled community members. In 2019,...

LiKEN Team
Oct 6, 20203 min read
Martin County Concerned Citizens Report Back Meeting
#MartinCountyWater

LiKEN Team
Jul 30, 20201 min read
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