AND MORE, some old, some new, but all are relevant to TSRA's conservation efforts and our goals of preservation, protection and restoration of the scenic, free-flowing rivers of Tennessee.

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Adopt-A-River

May 17, 2008 

Do you want to take a closer look at your favorite stream in 2008?  Get those hip boots and a map of your watershed ready for the Adopt-A-River stream assessment practice day.  The seminar will happen at Edwin Warner Park's nature center on Saturday, May 17.  We'll start at about 8:00 a.m. (stragglers are OK) and finish at about 3:00 p.m.  We'll go over the basic concepts then get out to the stream to practice.  If you have questions about the seminar or the Adopt-A-River program, contact Dave Pelren, TSRA's Adopt-a-River Coordinator, at 931-268-2852 (evenings), or email pelren@twlakes.net.  Please contact Dave to reserve your spot and to get information about possible rainout plans.  If you want to learn stream assessment techniques but can't join the group on May 17, contact Dave for an on-site practice session at a stream near you.   

TSRA and HWRA Get Funds for Public Canoe Access
 
On March 24, 2008, Rep. Gary Moore presented a $6500 community enhancement grant from the State of Tennessee to TSRA and the Harpeth River Watershed Association (HRWA) on behalf of himself, Sen. Joe Haynes, and Rep. Mike Turner. These state legislators all have districts in Davidson County and they represent many citizens who enjoy recreational activities on the scenic Harpeth River.

HRWA and TSRA will use this grant for the Harpeth Blueway Campaign to construct a canoe access ramp for the Harpeth River State Park at Hwy 100 west of Nashville. This grant will improve public canoe access along the state Scenic River section of the Harpeth River in Davidson County. TSRA is designing and constructing the new canoe launch. TSRA also has received another $1000 grant to the project from the Tennessee Parks and Greenways Association for this project. Other canoe accesses were recently constructed by TSRA at the Hidden Lake site of the Harpeth River State Park on McCrory Lane, and at the Williamson County Recreation Center on Hillsboro Road in Franklin. Another access soon will be added at Franklin's Pinkerton Park in April.

This grant will go toward of HRWA's Harpeth Protection Campaign, which hopes to raise $60,000 in 60 days. $40,000 has been raised to date.

In the coming weeks, we'll need lots of help with construction--so please volunteer and show everyone "Here's what we're doing for the Harpeth." To volunteer, contact HRWA at 790-9767, or TSRA Access Committee chair Patty Shultz at patshultz@comcast.net.

Your Voice Counts!

Early April will be a great time for you to contact your legislators! If you’ve never written or called, now is the time. If you’ve been active, keep up the good work. There are some bills in play in April that are very important.

* Oppose the “limited resource waters” bill, HB 4185 (McCord) & SB 4119 (Southerland). This bill will affect thousands of “limited resource waters” such as springs, wetlands, headwaters, and intermittent streams by removing them from protection and making it impossible to protect water quality. This bill exposes our flowing waters to degradation and pollution. For background on this bill, go to www.tnconservationvoters.org and read a Tennessean interview with TSRA’s Daniel Boone on why this is a bad bill. The public outcry against this bill has made a big impact, but it’s not over yet.

*Support the container deposit bill, HB 1829 (Turner) and SB 1408 (The Bottle Bill). After years of hard work, the TN Beverage Container Deposit Act of 2007 is finally progressing in the legislature. TSRA is one of the many grassroots organizations that contributed to the momentum behind this bill.

* Support the “Scenic Vistas” act, HB 3348 and SB 3822 (Finney), which will require a 100 ft. stream buffer zone for surface mining, and prevent mountaintop removal mining by prohibiting water permits for surface coal mining that alters or disturbs a ridgeline above 2000. MTR mining has created terrible water quality problems in other states and this bill seeks to prevent bad practices from being established in our state.

* Support The Stop Work Order bill, HB 3521 and SB 3651, grants the TDEC commissioner the authority to issue stop work orders for activities violating or with potential to imminently harm waters of the state. This is The Tennessee Clean Water Network’s bill.

Contact the members of the House and Senate Environmental and Conservation Committees first.  Be sure to copy Governor Bredesen on your correspondence - phil.bredesen@state.tn.us. Finally, let your own legislator know your feelings on these bills. You can find contact information here - http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/

House Committee

rep.frank.buck@legislature.state.tn.us (chair)

rep.john.tidwell@legislature.state.tn.us

rep.brenda.gilmore@legislature.state.tn.us

rep.william.baird@legislature.state.tn.us

rep.willie.borcher@legislature.state.tn.us

rep.richard.floyd@legislature.state.tn.us

rep.george.fraley@legislature.state.tn.us

rep.david.hawk@legislature.state.tn.us

rep.mike.kernell@legislature.state.tn.us

rep.frank.niceley@legislature.state.tn.us

rep.joe.mccord@legislature.state.tn.us


Senate Committee

sen.tommy.kilby@legislature.state.tn.us (chair)

sen.dewayne.bunch@legislature.state.tn.us

sen.doug.jackson@legislature.state.tn.us

sen.raymond.finney@legislature.state.tn.us

sen.roy.herron@legislature.state.tn.us

sen.bill.ketron@legislature.state.tn.us

sen.steve.roller@legislature.state.tn.us

sen.steve.southerland@legislature.state.tn.us

sen.mike.williams@legislature.state.tn.us

THE BILL IS MOVING !

Sen. Doug Jackson (prime sponsor in the Senate) has put SB1408 on notice for the final calendar of the Senate Government Operations Committee--Wednesday April 2. COMMITTEE MEMBERS ARE LISTED BELOW: E-MAIL THEM ALL! Government Operations meets at 2 pm, so try to come; I will keep you posted. WE NEED A CROWD EVERY TIME THIS BILL IS HEARD. After it passes out of that committee--which is virtually assured--it will most likely be referred to Senate Environment. It could then be heard in Environment any Wednesday after that. If it makes it out of Environment, its next stop is probably Finance, Ways and Means.

KEY COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Following is a list of the members of the Senate and House Government Operations Committees. (The bill will go there first in both houses.) Please look at the lists and send an e-mail to those legislators you've not contacted already, urging them to vote for SB 1408 or HB 1929--the "bottle bill." If you choose to use snail mail: All addresses are Nashville, 37243. LP = Legislative Plaza. WMB = War Memorial Building. If you choose to call: Dial (800) 449-8366. When prompted, enter the last five numbers of the legislator's phone number.

SENATE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE (DUE TO HEAR SB1408 ON APRIL 2)

Sen. Thelma Harper, Chair; Nashville: Davidson County; 8 LP, (615) 741-2453

Sen. Beverly Marrero, SPONSOR; Vice-Chair; Memphis: Shelby County; 11A LP, (615) 741-9128

Sen. Dewayne Bunch, Cleveland: Bradley, McMinn, Polk, Meigs counties, 312 WMB, (615) 741-3730

Sen. Rusty Crowe, Johnson City: Washington & Carter counties, 321 WMB, (615) 741-2468

Sen. Jack Johnson, Franklin: Davidson and Williamson counties, 305 WMB, (615) 741-2495

Sen. Paul Stanley, Memphis: Shelby County, 302 WMB, (615) 741-3036

Sen. Bo Watson, Hixson: Hamilton County, 317 WMB, (615) 741-3227

Sen. Micheal Williams, Maynardville: Claiborne, Grainger, Hancock, Hawkins, Jefferson & Union counties, 310 WMB, (615) 741-2061


HOUSE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE

Rep. Mike Kernell, SPONSOR; Chair; Memphis: Shelby County, 38 LP, (615) 741-3726

Rep. Barbara Cooper, Vice-Chair; Memphis: Shelby County, 38 LP, (615) 741-0186

Rep. Mike Bell, Riceville: McMinn, Monroe counties, 110 WMB, (615) 741-1946

Rep. Stacey Campfield, Knoxville: Knox County, 113 WMB, (615) 741-2287

Rep. Glen Casada, Franklin: Williamson County, 112 WMB, (615) 741-4389

Rep. Jim Cobb, Spring City: Hamilton & Rhea counties, 107 WMB, (615) 741-1450

Rep. Lois DeBerry, Memphis: Shelby County, 15 LP, (615) 741-3830

Rep. G.A. Hardaway, Memphis: Shelby County, 109 WMB, (615) 741-5625

Rep. Susan Lynn, Lebanon: Wilson, Sumner counties, 215 WMB, (615) 741-7462

Rep. Jason Mumpower, Bristol: Johnson & Sullivan counties, 103 WMB, (615) 741-0103

Rep. Gary Odom, Nashville: Davidson County, 18A LP, (615) 741-4410

Rep. Jeanne Richardson, Memphis: Shelby County, 26 LP, (615) 741-2010

Rep. Randy Rinks, Savannah: Hardin, McNairy & Decatur counties, (615) 741-2007

Rep. Eric Swafford, SPONSOR; Pikeville: Cumberland, Bledsoe counties, 202 WMB, (615) 741-0125


SENATE ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE

Sen. Tommy Kilby, Chair; Wartburg: Campbell, Fentress, Morgan, Rhea, Roane & Scott counties, (615) 741-1449

Sen. Dewayne Bunch, Vice-Chair; Cleveland: Bradley, McMinn, Polk, Meigs counties, (615) 741-3730

Sen. Doug Jackson, SPONSOR; Dickson: Dickson, Giles, Hickman, Humphreys, Lawrence, Lewis counties, 10 LP, (615) 741-4499
 
Sen. Raymond Finney, Maryville: Blount & Sevier counties, (615) 741-2427 

Sen. Roy Herron, Dresden: Benton, Decatur, Henry, Henderson, Lake, Obion, Perry, Stewart & Weakley counties, (615) 741-4576

Sen. Bill Ketron, Murfreesboro: Lincoln, Marshall, Maury & Rutherford counties, (615) 741-6853

Sen. Steve Roller, McMinnville: Franklin, Bledsoe, Coffee, Grundy, Sequatchie, Van Buren & Warren counties; (615) 741-6694

Sen. Steve Southerland, Morristown: Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, and Unicoi counties, (615) 741-3851

Sen. Micheal Williams, Maynardville: Claiborne, Grainger, Hancock, Hawkins, Jefferson & Union counties, 310 WMB, (615) 741-2061


HOUSE LOCAL GOVERNMENT SUBCOMMITTEE

Rep. Ulysses Jones, Jr., Chair; Memphis: Shelby County, (615) 741-4575

Rep. Robert Bibb, Springfield: Robertson County, (615) 741-3979

Rep. Jimmy Eldridge, Jackson: Madison County, (615) 741-7475

Rep. Jimmy Matlock, Lenoir City: Loudon County, (615) 741-3736

Rep. Steve McManus, SPONSOR; Cordova: Shelby County, (615) 741-1920

Rep. Larry Miller, Memphis: Shelby County, (615) 741-4453

Rep. Gary Moore, SPONSOR; Joelton: Davidson County, (615) 741-4317

Rep. Randy Rinks, Vic-Chair; Savannah: Hardin, McNairy & Decatur counties, (615) 741-2007

Rep. Park Strader, Knoxville: Knox County, (615) 741-2264

Rep. Harry Tindell, Knoxville: Knox County, (615) 741-2031

Rep. Curry Todd, Collierville: Shelby County, (615) 741-1866

Rep. Ben West, Jr., SPONSOR; Hermitage: Davidson County, (615) 741-6959

Rep. Eddie Yokley, Greeneville: Cocke & Greene counties, (615) 741-6871

You can easily locate email addresses for these key legislators by going to:  http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/

To read more, visit the Tennessee Bottle Bill website at:   www.tnbottlebill.org

TSRA Conservation Activities - 2007

TCV - Every year we support the legislative lobbying efforts of the Tennessee Conservation Voters with a contribution.  This year TSRA also helped with the printing of the legislative scorecard.

TSRA contributed to the Cumberland River Compact for the construction of a green roof on one of the buildings at Shelby Park.

TSRA supported the Tennessee Clean Water Network with a donation to the celebration of 2007's Tennessee River Hero award.

TSRA continued it's support of the Tennessee Environmental Council, specifically John McFadden, in addressing water quality issues in the Upper Tellico off road vehicle area.

TSRA provided funding to the Tennessee Land Trust for the preparation of an appraisal of the Webb tract near Reliance, Tennessee.  The Trust is negotiating a conservation easement that will ensure this property remains undeveloped, although it will continue to be used as a farm by the Webb family.

TSRA provided a grant to Tennessee Parks and Greenways in support of the purchase of land at the Head of the Sequatchie.  This land includes the headwater spring of the Sequatchie River and significant archeological sites.

TSRA also continues to include the Duck River Opportunities Project, now administered by the TEC, as a conservation project with another two years of funding to expend.  This is funded by grants processed through TSRA.

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On Saturday, April 1,  2006, members from Dickson’s BSA Troop 593 worked with the Duck River Opportunities Project (DROP), the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Volunteer River Restoration Corps (VRRC) (a joint project of the Harpeth River Watershed Association (HRWA) and the Tennessee Scenic Rivers Association (TSRA)) to install over 1300 plants in an area of the Piney River’s bank that had been eroding.

Wynne Mitchell with the Dickson County NRCS contacted the Volunteer River Restoration Corps (VRRC) to see if they would be interested in helping the landowner complete the stream restoration project. The landowner had previously installed several rock jetties. The jetties are rock structures that point upstream and deflect high flows away from eroding stream banks. These particular jetties were designed by NRCS bioengineers to protect the landowner’s fields along the eroding pasture. Once the jetties are installed, the area is planted in grass, tree seedlings and “live stakes.” Live stakes are cuttings of black willow and sycamore treated with a rootone (makes roots sprout). The live stakes are installed from the waters edge up about 10 feet to the top of the stream bank. The seedlings are planted from the top of the stream bank out to about 25 feet. The 15 scouts installed just over 500 plants per hour, possibly a new VRRC record!

Troop 593 was led by Scoutmaster Ron Campbell of Dickson, and was assisted by Timothy Black. Scouts helping out included John Campbell, Mike Coones, T.J. Black Jr., Mathew Welson, John Gilliam, Spencer Trent, Mathew Mclendon, Andrew Nelson, Sam Hall, and Derek Hall and others. Scouts were assisted by HRWA/DROP staff members Mike Cain (Restoration Specialist) and John McFadden (Director of Science and Restoration).

The Piney River is one of the Duck River’s healthiest tributaries – and the Duck River is one of the world’s most biologically diverse freshwater systems with 54 types of mussels (freshwater clams) and 151 types of fishes. In addition the Duck River and its tributaries such as the Piney serve as drinking water supply for many communities and as a recreational resource for the middle Tennessee area. This brings a great economic gain to the local communities.

The VRRC has worked with scouts and other volunteers throughout the Harpeth River and Duck River watersheds in an effort to improve the quality of the river system though a combination of cooperative restoration and education. For More Information visit HRWA’s website at www.Harpethriver.org.

FMI:John McFadden
Director of Science and Restoration
Duck River Opportunities Project
HRWA/TSRA
615.374.3744
615.330.5364
jmcfadden62@bellsouth.net

Like this group, which is conducting an invertebrate survey in Rugby, TSRA river adopters monitor streams and their watersheds across Tennessee.  Stream surveys, debris cleanups, and streambank restoration are typical activities conducted by adopters.

Click here to learn about the latest in the AAR program.

by Vesta Griswold

A plant does not live unto itself, but is part of an organized community. The decimation of the natural communities that had become established here before the first settlers arrived, and which had been only slightly interrupted by the Native Americans, was an inevitable result as cities, industries, and farms expanded. Now that our thoroughly mechanized and economically oriented society is in the midst of a population explosion, the decimation of natural areas for immediate use and profit has accelerated phenomenally. We can no longer take it for granted that there will forever be forests of mighty trees with all the lesser dignitaries and the diminutive beauties beneath.

Fortunately, mindful people have taken necessary steps to set aside natural areas in our beautiful countryside. It is now our good fortune to enjoy them as well as to protect them. When human kind descends on an area for recreation, delicate wild flowers are trampled, beaten down, broken off, and wiped out by the masses. Our state parks are well used and enjoyed. We are fortunate, indeed, for we in Nashville are rejuvenated by a walk through Radnor Lake Natural Area, and Warner Park as well as all our lovely parks. We need to use them with care, however. One person traveling straight down a hill can so dislodge loose humus-soil and little roots that the next rain will initiate a gully which more rain will enlarge. The steeper the slope is, the greater the damage. Zigzag paths can prevent that to some extent.

Our Tennessee countryside presents us with an amazing panorama of beautiful landscapes and plant species. We are fortunate, indeed, to have the opportunity to help preserve them for future generations. Our many parks are there for us to enjoy and our State Natural Areas are rare gems. We will never know our beautiful land as the early explorers saw it for it is now forever changed. We have the obligation to help preserve all that we can. We have nurseries that grow our native plants, and we can grow and enjoy them in our yards. We should never take them from the wild unless that area is about to be developed. We can walk with care as we go to and from our beautiful rivers. We can tread with care in our forests. Our creed should be “TAKE ONLY PICTURES FROM OUR BEAUTIFUL WILD PLACES AND LEAVE ONLY FOOT PRINTS” made with care.

    The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation held a public meeting November 3, 2005, designed to involve the public in a meaningful discussion of the Watershed Water Quality Management Plan for the Lower Duck and Buffalo River Watershed. Tennessee’s Watershed Approach began in 1996 and is an inventory of existing information about point and nonpoint contributions to the watershed, a collection of maps illustrating locations of permitted discharges in the watershed, a summary of activities by state and federal agencies and local organizations to reduce these contributions, links to other agencies and water quality programs, and a guide for the next five-year management cycle.
    The public was encouraged to comment on the Watershed Water Quality Management Plan, discuss their water quality concerns, hear what their neighbors thought, and learn how to work together to promote and protect clean water in Tennessee. Local groups interested in water quality were also available to give presentations about their respective programs and included the Duck River Opportunities Program, Tennessee Valley Authority, Tennessee Wildlife Agency, and Duck River Agency.
    The Watershed Water Quality Management Plan is available at http://www.state.tn.us/environment/wpc/watershed/wsmplans. The plan can be viewed and downloaded from your home computer or from one in a nearby public library or school.

Watershed Water Quality Management Plans include a general watershed description, water quality assessment summary results, inventory of point and nonpoint sources, water quality concerns voiced by citizens at public meetings, federal, state, and local initiatives, and management strategies. Public meetings are held to discuss the draft plans with local citizens, elected officials, and the regulated community. Click here to learn more!

What is an landform anyway? Landforms are arches, waterfalls, rocks, peaks, balds, and lakes. The University of Tennessee has a very detailed listing that includes 549 waterfalls in our state, and thats just the beginning. Click here to find out more.

TSRA provides a $5,000 grant to assist in the purchase Stillhouse Hollow Falls...... read more.

TSRA’s Duck River Opportunities Project is sponsored by Saturn Corporation and works with local communities, agencies, volunteers and experts to improve water quality and provide education within the Duck River watershed.
Click here to read about the TSRA Duck River Project