(The Center Square) – Tennessee Gov. Mike Lee said Wednesday he is creating the Duck River Watershed Planning Partnership and will include the middle Tennessee waterway in his budget initiatives.
The partnership will develop watershed management recommendations and advise Lee and others on policies according to an executive order.
The river is the sole water source for 250,000 Tennesseans.
“The Duck River is not only a scenic treasure, but it is also North America’s most biologically diverse freshwater river and the sole water source for thousands of Tennesseans,” Lee said. “As we continue our work to balance Tennessee’s economic growth with a plan to protect our environment, preserving waters like the Duck River and enhancing water resource management statewide will be a cornerstone of our long-term conservation strategy.”
The governor said in the order that he also plans to bring budget initiatives for a comprehensive state plan for the Duck River Watershed.
The Harpeth Conservancy called Lee’s action a “significant step toward protecting one of our state’s most precious resources.” The organization’s mission is “to restore and protect clean water and healthy ecosystems for rivers in Tennessee,” it said on its website.
“This initiative highlights the importance of balancing economic growth with water resource management and environmental conservation to ensure the sustainability of Tennessee’s watersheds now and for generations to come,” the group said in a social media post.
The 19-member partnership board will consist of representatives of the departments of environment and conservation, agriculture, economic and community development and the Wildlife Resources Agency. Other members will come from the House of Representatives, Senate, Tennessee Valley Authority, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Duck River Development Agency, according to the order. Lee will appoint a member from a university or academic institution, as well as a local government and water supplier along the river.
