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 Doug Murphy, executive director of the Duck River Agency, explains to fifth graders about the importance of water conservation. (T-G Photo by Brian Mosely) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo] |
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2008 was no different, and even though dark clouds finally threatened to give the area some much needed rain, the kids turned out for the fourth annual Duck RiverFest.
The yearly event is put on by the Duck River Watershed Committee, which was formed to educate all the people of Bedford County, specifically through the board of education, to youth on the importance of the Duck River to the county and to all the watersheds running into the river.
With school buses rotating through Shelbyville's Duck River Greenway throughout Tuesday, students from Community, Liberty, Cascade and Thomas schools moved from station to station to learn about the importance of the body of water.
According to Amy Shoemaker, of the group's education committee, the kids learn that even the smallest thing they do can impact the water supply. Students learn that things like leaving the water running while brushing their teeth or just watering the lawn can have repercussions down the line.
"Education has to start young," she said. "They do get a lot out of this."
Organizations participating in the event this year were Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), personnel from the Shelbyville water and sewer treatment plant, Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency, the Tennessee Nature Conservancy, the National Resource Conservation Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Fish and Wildlife Service, Tennessee Scenic Rivers, the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Bedford County Emergency Management Agency and the Duck River Agency.
Following the trip to the river, the students' education continues in the classroom with projects geared toward helping them understand how interconnected the watershed is, Shoemaker said.