Conserving the Duck River for All Uses

On July 14, at a public meeting on the Duck River, the Federation urged the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation to consider the needed balance for multiple uses of the river, for drinking water supply, fish, threatened and endangered mussels, and recreation when considering a water withdrawal permit by Marshall County Board of Public Utilities. The Federation supports the environmentally sound use of the river. This should allow for water supply to provide clean and safe drinking water, while maintaining the health of the Duck River, an Exceptional Tennessee Water.

The Duck River is home to fish and endangered mussels, some of which are not found anywhere else in the world, so it’s especially important to minimize potential negative impacts, as this and other water withdrawal proposals on the river are considered. Mussels, like those in the Duck, are important to water quality, filtering large volumes of water and cleansing rivers of potentially harmful pollutants. While inadequate flows of water in the river, can harm fish and mussel populations and adversely affect river recreation.

 

Photo credit: Jimmy Boss