University of Kentucky. Dept. of Anthropology.

UK's Department of Anthropology was established in 1926, and has the oldest graduate program in applied anthropology in the U.S. The establishment of the applied anthropology approach (1968) coincides with the beginning of this study, probably supervised by Philip Drucker (named as principal investigator in the 1972 research report), and conducted by graduate students working towards their Ph. D. Those named include Charles R. Smith, Allen C. Turner, Greg Wilmoth, R.S. Dekoschak and [?] Stoffle.

The UK Water Resources Research Institute was established under the Water Research Act of 1964 to "stimulate, sponsor, provide for, and supplement present programs for the conduct of research, investigations, experiments, and training of scientists in the fields of water and of resources which affect water." The Dept. of Anthropology worked with the Water Resources Research Institute to provide several studies in conjunction with proposed reservoirs in Kentucky.

Taylorsville is a small town in Spencer County, Kentucky roughly 25 miles southeast of Louisville. At the time of the study, the population of Taylorsville was 950, with a rural population of 5,000 in Spencer County. It was largely agricultural, with tobacco being the cash crop. The Salt River was dammed by the Army Corps of Engineers in 1982 to form Taylorsville Lake, which opened to the public in 1983. Beattyville (Lee County) is located in east-central Kentucky and is situated at the confluence of the North, Middle and South Forks of the Kentucky River around 20 miles outside of Lexington. The county is largely rural, relying on an agricultural economy at the time of this study.

Falmouth is in Pendleton County, Kentucky and lies between two forks of the Licking River. In 1970, Pendleton County listed a population of 9,949 in the U.S. Census. The floods of 1937 and 1964 both greatly affected Falmouth, and in 1968 a tornado ripped through the area destroying many homes and businesses. A reservoir was planned for this area, but not completed.

Maysville is an Ohio River town on the Kentucky side, in Mason County, 66 miles northeast of Lexington. The town was inundated in the 1937 flood, and a flood wall was erected afterwards, so far protecting the city from further major floods.

Kenton and Boone counties are also in Northern Kentucky along the Ohio River, including the towns of Covington, Newport, Florence and numerous small communities.

Anderson County (Lawrenceburg) is situated on the Kentucky River about 15 miles from the state capitol of Frankfort.

Clay County (Manchester) lies in the southeastern portion of Kentucky and is situated on the South Fork of the Kentucky River.

The eastern border of Mercer County (Harrodsburg) is formed by the Kentucky River. It is situated about 32 miles from Lexington and also includes the historic Shaker town at Pleasant Hill, near the Palisades of the Kentucky River.