Displaying items by tag: duck river

KINGSTON SPRINGS — The 2024 Dinner IN the Creek, a fundraiser for the Harpeth Conservancy, will be nestled in the serene beauty of Bell’s Reserve in Kingston Springs. This hidden oasis, with over a mile of Harpeth River waterfront, offers a unique setting for the event in a charming spring-fed creek at the heart of the 600-acre property.

This year’s Dinner IN the Creek, sponsored by Amazon, is set for 6-9 p.m. July 23. Tickets are $500 and include a Hispanic-roots dinner from renowned chefs and live entertainment from Brother and the Hayes.

Harpeth Conservancy’s vision is clean water and healthy ecosystems for rivers in Tennessee championed by the people who live here. 

John McEwan, whose family has lived on the banks of the Duck River since the 1860s, skips stones on the Duck River. Environmental groups fear excessive demand is fueling drawdowns that are affecting the rich biodiversity of the Middle Tennessee river.&nsp; Tennessee Lookout/John Partipilo

Long time residents and conservation groups say industry lured by the state, population growth are draining water from a river prized for its biodiversity

This story was originally published by Tennessee Lookout.

COLUMBIA ­­— When Gov. Bill Lee announced the state had lured a General Motors lithium battery supplier to Spring Hill three years ago, it was his largest economic announcement to date:

A $2.6 billion corporate investment; 1,300 new jobs; a major stepstone along Tennessee’s path to become an EV hub — helped along by a then-record $46,000 per job in taxpayer incentives.

The factory deal’s less conspicuous specs — its continuous need for 1.4 million gallons of water per day — is now figuring in a larger battle pitting citizens and conservation groups against state environmental regulators.

Last month, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) granted permission to Columbia Power and Water Systems — which pumps water to the new Ultium Cells plant — to increase its current withdrawals from the Duck River by 60 percent.

It’s one of eight water companies along the Duck River seeking to dramatically increase water draws to meet rising demands for water in the rapidly growing five-county region southwest of Nashville. 

A view of the Duck River, Tennessee longest river, from Old Stone Fort in Manchester.  John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout

The Duck landed third on American Rivers’ list of most endangered rivers in the U.S.

This story was originally published by Tennessee Lookout.

COLUMBIA — The Duck River, which winds through seven Middle Tennessee counties for more than 260 miles before reaching the Tennessee River, is among the most endangered rivers in the United States, according to a new report by the advocacy group American Rivers.

Threatened by population growth, development and climate change “urgent action is needed to safeguard this vital ecosystem,” the report released Tuesday said.

The Duck River serves as the source of drinking water for nearly 250,000 Tennesseans. Industry and agriculture depend on it, too. Often considered one of Tennessee’s most pristine waterways, it draws more than 150,000 people each year for boating, fishing and other recreation. Last year, in an effort to protect the river from a controversial plan to establish a landfill near its banks, state lawmakers designated a portion of the river in Maury County an official state scenic waterway.

This biologically rich stretch of the Duck River could soon be the site of a large municipal water intake facility.

Duck River targeted by thirsty, growing municipalities in Nashville area

This story was originally published by Tennessee Lookout

Marshall County, located outside what was once considered the boundary edge of growing suburbs circling Nashville, has seen explosive growth of its own in recent years — call it the Williamson County overflow effect, says County Mayor Mike Keny.

Drawn by more affordable housing, jobs and the rural character of the county — about an hour from Nashville in the “heart of the Southern Automotive Corridor” (as local economic development officials call it) — the influx of residents, and some relocating business and industry, has brought new urgency to a long-standing reality.

The county doesn’t have its own water supply. For decades, it has had to pay wholesale for drinking water from the cities of Murfreesboro and Lewisburg. That supply is no longer adequate.

A new proposal by county officials calls for building a water treatment facility along the banks of the Duck River in northern Marshall County capable of siphoning up to 6 million gallons of water per day; establish a reliable local water supply for decades to come.