The Nature Conservancy’s Duck River Program

The Nature Conservancy’s Duck River Program highlighted at the Tennessee Trails Association meeting Monday August 27 at 7:00 pm CT at D. W. Wilson Community Center in Tullahoma. The presentation was made by Lesley Colley  The Duck River rises up in eastern Coffee County in a little place called Hoo Doo and flows for 272 miles across Middle Tennessee to Kentucky Lake and the Tennessee River.  A part of the Tennessee-Cumberland river basin, the Duck is the longest river wholly contained within the state and is free-flowing for most of its length.  The river has a multitude of values, it is the water supply for nearly 250,000 people, is an excellent fishery and a popular recreation destination.

Widely considered the most biologically diverse river in North America, the Duck River is home to over 650 different river species.  This rich array of life includes 151 species of fish, 55 species of freshwater mussels, and 22 freshwater snail species.  In February 2010 National Geographic magazine featured the Duck River as one of FOUR places on the planet with the greatest number of species in a cubic foot.  The other places were a reef in French Polynesia, a cloud forest in Costa Rica and a mountain top in South Africa.  

A healthy river bodes well for the people that live around it. Many river inhabitants, particularly mussels, small native fish species and insects, are very sensitive to pollution.  The Duck River provides a clean and ideal habitat for these creatures and thus ensures a high quality water supply for the human community.  However, care must be taken of this precious resource.  Water quality on the Duck River is impacted by a number of activities across a variety of landscapes.   From increasing impervious surfaces in and around our cities, to incompatible farming practices and loss of streamside habitat, human activities have resulted in the pollution of hundreds of stream miles in the watershed. 

The Nature Conservancy’s Duck River Program has worked for eleven years with a broad array of partners to address many of these issues.  River conservation is ultimately about people.  Connecting communities to the river, raising awareness about its importance are perhaps the best ways to protect it in the long-run.  The Big Rock Creek Greenway in Lewisburg and Columbia’s Duck Riverwalk are examples of cities capitalizing on this natural resource.  Projects of this sort also have a positive impact on local economies and quality of life for these communities.

In collaboration with state and federal partners, The Nature Conservancy works a great deal with the agricultural community throughout the watershed. Farmers are typically good stewards of the land and they understand that using Best Management Practices makes good economic sense.  Practices such as no-till agriculture, leaving stream buffers intact, using cover crops and providing clean, dependable water sources so that livestock can be fenced off of streams will result in less erosion of valuable soil and better herd health. 

We take clean, abundant water for granted here in Tennessee.  Unlike many places around this country and the world, we are blessed with so many rivers and streams that benefit us in a multitude of ways. 

Leslie added, " I have seen the cattle in the river up in Bedford County and we have actually gotten a grant to focus on working with those landowners to provide alternate water sources. We have one guy building the exclusion fence right now and are working on the others.  We always appreciate a heads-up on such things, so don't hesitate to let us know.  We simply can't keep a close eye on the entire upper watershed.   I think the irrigation issue is worth a call to TDEC (931)380-3371 and I urge you guys to do so.  Agriculture is largely exempt from state water quality laws, but some activities cross that line."
Meetings are held on the 4th Monday of each month at 7:00 pm CT at D. W. Wilson Community Center, 501 N. Collins Street, Tullahoma. One need not be a member to attend.

Greeter Falls hike

Fourteen people attended the July 31 hike at Greeter Falls in Altamont led by Tennessee State Naturalist Randy Hedgepath (center).  They are from left to right, front row:  Randy Hedgepath, Tennessee State Naturalist; Robert McCarthy, Nashville; Carolyn Fitz and Carol Sampson, Sewanee. Second row:  Ruth Wells, Tullahoma; Pidge Cash, Murfreesboro; Linda Hudson, Manchester; Peggy Nunley and Joan Hartvigsen, Winchester; Faith Bennett, Murfreesboro; John  Bordley, Sewanee; Sidney Sexton, Huntsville; Drew Sampson, Sewanee. Not pictured:  Tom Hartvigsen, Winchester.  Randy Hedgepath spoke to the group about the history and geology of the Greeter Falls area and pointed out many types of trees, wildflowers, mushrooms, and birds.  In addition to the nature hike, the folks enjoyed a swim in the cool waters of the spring fed Blue Swimming Hole.  The outing was sponsored by the Highland Rim Tennessee Trails Association and was opened to the public.