Duck river mussels with Nature Conservancy of TN. -by Kayla M.

      The 9^th grade Tucker River Fellows went to the Duck River where we kayaked down the Duck river. In this river there are many different types of Mussels. While we were there we looked for mussels at bottom of the river. 

Many of these freshwater mussels have funny names like the Spike, Bird Wing (an endangered species), Rock Pocketbook and many others. The Duck River has over 50 fresh water mussels and has the most diverse freshwater population in North America. It is also where ¼ of a million people get there drinking water from and also where five counties put their treated waste water.

       When we where there, we meet Emma Williams GPS class of 92’ who owns a communications company and is on the board for the Nature conservancy (TNC). We also meet Rob Bullard who is the Tennessee Cumberland River programs director for TNC, Sally Palmer who is a TNC ecologist and who helped us identify many of the mussels and Cory who works with agricultural practices for TNC.