Maury County residents fight to protect Duck River

COLUMBIA, Tenn. (WSMV) - A group of residents in Maury County are hoping to push a bill through the state legislature that would help protect the Duck River from contamination.

House Bill 0447 would declare the Duck River to be a Class II scenic river, which would prevent landfills and mining within two miles of the waterway. The elevated classification “enhances the scenic values of the river and the adjacent lands while at the same time preserving the right of riparian landowners to use the river for customary agricultural and other rural purposes,” according to the bill’s language.

The Duck River serves as the sole source of drinking water for over a quarter million residents across 13 counties in Middle Tennessee, according to a release by the concerned group of citizens.

The proposed bill seeks protection for the portion of the river downstream of Marshall County, where it flows through Maury, Hickman, and Humphreys counties before it connects with the Tennessee River:

Supporters of HB-0447 attended a hearing on the proposal by the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday morning, where the committee recommended the bill for passage. It now heads to the Government Operations Committee for further discussion.

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