Hallelujah!

Written By: Dana Dye | Photo Taken By: Elizabeth Dixon

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Whew! A long, difficult legislative marathon has almost reached the finish line. Duck River Conservancy President Doug Jones, along with a host of other Duck River advocates, have been working for three years to get the Tennessee Legislature to designate the Duck River as a Tennessee scenic river. Apparently the third time really is the charm!

The bill granting the designation of Class II Scenic River to the Duck River, the

Buffalo River, and the Piney River, as well as parts of Beaverdam Creek, Lick Creek, and

Swan Creek passed the Senate with a unanimous 32-0 vote. After a tough time in the House

Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee, the amended bill was approved by the

House with a vote of 81-5 and seven members abstaining. Once the Senate approves the

House amendment next week, the bill will be signed into law by Governor Lee.

The amendment which was added in the House addressed active landfill permits

already in existence. Apparently, there are two permits in Maury County and possibly one

in Perry County. Although the permits are active, there is no active landfill activity on the

sites according to Cassandra Stephenson, reporter for the Tennessee Lookout, and the

amendment was largely a housekeeping measure.

One of the strongest protections afforded by the Tennessee Scenic Rivers Act is

found in T.C.A. Section 11-13-111 which reads “No landfill for the disposal of solid or

hazardous waste shall be permitted within two (2) miles from the center of a Class II scenic

river on either side…” That prohibition has been in place since 1990. Representative Chris

Todd, Chairman of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, did everything he could to quash this year’s scenic river designation bill. At one point, he tried to push through an amendment to remove the landfill buffer zone entirely. When that failed, he tried to table

the bill, pushing it over to a fourth year. In spite of these efforts in Committee, the scenic

river designation for our rivers and streams passed easily in the full legislature last

Thursday, April 9, 2026. It was a great day for the entire Duck River Watershed.

Under the scenic river law, TDEC has the authority to establish the boundaries of

scenic rivers. While TDEC has never used that authority, this year’s legislation includes a

provision strengthening landowner rights in the event TDEC undertakes to establish

boundary areas. TDEC is required to engage in an outreach program and, most importantly,

boundary areas can be established only with the written consent of the affected landowner.

It was fifty-eight years ago that our state legislature passed the Tennessee Scenic

Rivers Act of 1968 to preserve, protect and, if necessary, reclaim “for the benefit of the

people selected parts of Tennessee’s diminishing resources of free-flowing rivers.” The

1968 legislators were a forward-thinking bunch. They saw the importance of protecting

forever those water resources that can never be replicated or replaced. The Duck River and

its designated tributaries will be available to you and me and our great-grandchildren.

Those rivers and creeks are our natural legacy.

Protecting our streams and rivers is also an economically sound investment. As

population growth and suburban sprawl changes the landscape, nature has added value.

According to the Tennessee Wildlife Federation’s George Lindemann, property owners near

protected green spaces see their property value rise. The local economy also gets a bump.

Ecotourism is one of the fastest-growing segments of tourism. Designated scenic rivers add

to a community’s economic vitality. When people come to fish, paddle, picnic, or hike, they

spend money in the local businesses serving that community. Once Governor Lee signs our

bill into law, Hickman County will have more miles of scenic rivers than any other county in

the state. Now that’s a distinction to be proud of!

Thanks to everyone who pushed to get the law designating our local rivers and

streams as protected scenic waterways finally enacted. Thanks to everyone who called,

emailed or wrote a letter to a Representative. (There were thousands of you!) Thanks to

Doug and Martha Jones who practically lived at the State Legislature these past months,

extolling the Duck River and its tributaries to anyone who would listen. Thanks to John and

Dan McEwen for always showing up and bearing witness. Thanks to the Harpeth

Conservancy, to Friends of the Duck, to the Tennessee Wildlife Federation, and to all our

allies in the Duck River watershed.

Asked about his three-year crusade, Doug Jones responded: “Passing scenic river

legislation is difficult at best. The designation is like an historical stamp that, down through

the ages, becomes part of the essence of that river. So, consideration of such naming is

taken very seriously. And it should be.” He added, “As for the Duck River, it was not a close question. It is truly one of the most special and scenic rivers in the world.”

Amen and Hallelujah to that!

Dana Dye is a resident of Hickman County and a Duck River Conservancy Board member.