For the Good of the River...

Duck River Opportunities Project Brings Together Businesses, Individuals, and Communities

By John McFadden Director of Science and Restoration Programs

The Duck River is home to some 54 freshwater mussel species, 151 fish species and some 20 types of aquatic snails — as such The Nature Conservancy considers the Duck River one of the most biologically diverse, if not the most biologically diverse, freshwater river systems in the world. Duck River Opportunities Project (DROP) actively works with landowners, educators, communities, agencies and volunteers to improve water quality in the Duck River watershed and to provide active involvement opportunities for citizens that promote long-term watershed health. Here are some of the projects implemented during 2005:

World Water Monitoring Day

In the fall of 2005, The Farm School, with support from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s TP3 Green Schools Program (Cynthia Rohrbach, coordinator) and the Duck River Opportunities Project, supported by GM-Spring Hill, participated in World Water Monitoring Day. Twelve students accompanied by five adults sampled two sites on Swan Creek in Lewis County, near Hohenwald. Sites were sampled for chemical, physical and biological characteristics.

Biological sampling included collecting aquatic insects, in an effort to determine the health of the river system. Sites scored in the good to excellent range; this was consistent with data previously collected by professional biologists and volunteers. Swan Creek is one of the highest quality tributaries in the globally significant Duck River watershed. Our volunteer data is important because it helps resource managers determine if streams are being harmed.

While less sensitive than data collected by professionals, our data does help inform staff at natural resource agencies and can be utilized to direct change in land management strategies.

Education: Teaching Students to Value the River

Mike Cain (HRWA/TSRA) and Dave Pelren (TSRA & US Fish & Wildlife Service) participated in the first Shelbyville Duck River Education Day. The event was held along the Duck River and included several watershed and water quality education stations where 500+ fifth-graders from Shelbyville and Bedford County spent time learning about the Duck River’s ecology and many mussel species.

At one station there was a tank full of mussels in muddy water — by the day’s end, students could see the mussels had filtered the mud out of the water. Just one of a myriad of benefits associated with the great diversity of aquatic life!

Restoration Work

DROP installed cedar revetments in addition to streambank plantings in Jerry Erwin Park along McCutcheon Creek. Revetments, which stop streambank erosion, were installed by volunteers: Randal Branch (from the Stones River Watershed Association), Max Cain, and Lloyd and Matt Jaeger. Thanks!

Mobilizing Additional Support

Program staff member Marty Marina continues to talk to agency folks and citizens about the possibility of a Duck River Watershed Association and is getting much support for this. Project staff are beginning to look for the resources to move this forward.

This project is funded in part by Saturn Corporation, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, under an agreement with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Nonpoint Source Program and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Assistance Agreement #C3334674-03-0, the Tennessee Environmental Endowment, and he World Wildlife Fund.