I love the water. Whether it’s a pond, creek, lake, or the ocean, there is something soothing about being near it. In the four years we’ve lived in Tennessee, I’ve been to Fall Creek Falls (a must see) and hiked to Machine Falls three times. These falls rival anything I’ve seen in Kauai. Hiking is enjoyable, but so much more if a babbling brook is involved.
Imagine how excited I was to learn that Tennessee has lots of water. Not just rainwater (because it sure does rain here) but rivers and lakes with bountiful scenery surrounding them. One such place is the Duck River. It may not look like much when you first see it (depending on where you are), but there is so much more going on beneath the surface—literally.
First off, this 269-mile river running through middle Tennessee is the longest one contained within one state. That’s impressive enough, but according to the Nature Conservancy, “Underneath the surface, the river teems with such an abundant variety of freshwater animal life that has earned its standing as North America’s most biologically diverse freshwater river and, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, one of three hot spots for fish and mussel diversity in the entire world.”
Before having knowledge of this information, I just thought it was a great spot to kayak. There are thickets of trees on either side home to a multitude of birds. Turtles sunbathe on the downed trunks resting half in and half out of the water—a constant amusement to those of us simpletons who get excited about such things. I happen to love turtles, and we have lots of them here, as well. Then I learned what an amazing creation this waterway truly is.
Duck River is home to more species of fish than all the rivers of Europe combined. Can you believe that? It also has more fish variety than any other river in North America and supports 60 freshwater mussel species and 22 species of aquatic snails. Many of these are federally listed as threatened or endangered. Several of them occur nowhere else on earth. Imagine, right here in our little state of Tennessee!
Mussels are not only beautiful and fascinating, but for more reasons than you might think. They promote water quality because 
they are actually filter feeders, removing particulate matter from the water and cleaning up to 15 gallons a day. That’s important considering Duck River is the water source for more than 250,000 people (including my husband and me).
With the increase in population in Tennessee, the health of these freshwater mussels is critical. They are extremely sensitive to changes in the water quality. Any decline in mussel population means water quality issues in the watershed. According to the Nature Conservancy, “They serve as the proverbial canaries in the coal mine.” And while freshwater mussels have disappeared across most of the United States, Duck River is one of the few places they are thriving.
I don’t often think of all this when I’m gazing across the river or paddling down its clear, peaceful waters. I wonder how many other marvels we take for granted in this world. It’s enough to make a body sit up and take notice. If you’re ever in the beautiful state of Tennessee, be sure to make time to visit the Duck. You won’t be disappointed.
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