It would take hundreds of millions of dollars and years to acquire the Duck River, known as a scenic treasure by Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee.

Lee’s The proposed budget A total of $124.5 million is included in one-off funds to jump that process.

The Duck River is North America’s most ecologically diverse freshwater river, increasingly taxed due to drought and growing water needs in central Tennessee. Lee pledged to include funds to address water supply issues in her autumn executive order dedicated to preserving the Duck River and serving the local industry and residents.

In him State address statusLee said his budget will allocate $100 million and “create a local water supply strategy that will completely resolve this issue.”

Salyers Chairs Duck River Watershed Planning Partnership 19 Member Advisory Group Created through Lee Presidential Order Provide recommendations to the governor and state legislators. The group met for the first time last week.

Lee Gar Lee signs orders to save Duck River, a “scenic treasure” at risk.

Salyars calls the proposed $100 million allocation “incentive money” and encourages local utility partnerships within the Tennessee Department of Environment and Environment. Budget presentation to the House Finance, Way and Means Committee on Tuesday.

“It’s just as the (US Rescue Plan Act) funding was for localization incentives,” he said. “You can use the Cumberland or Tennessee River pipelines (to really solve the problem.”

Lee’s executive order directs departments to “evaluate large engineering projects” for costs and feasibility.

The Tennessee General Assembly needs to approve plans for such a pipeline, but past attempts have been Please press the idea It failed through Congress.

TDEC’s proposal budget also includes $24.5 million for other projects related to the Duck River. Salyers said the river’s engineering design and hydraulic modeling would receive $20 million. The remaining funds will be used to promote cooperation between water supply districts and communities, with $2 million seeking habitat conservation plans in the Upper Duck River Basin for a $6 million grant matching fund.

Rep. Kevin Vaughan, a Republican of Collierville, specifically called for a $20 million price tag for design and modeling.

“It’s a lot of learning,” Vaughn said.

Salyers said the Duck River water supply strategy serves as a template to address water supply issues elsewhere in the state, including areas on the Shikkachi Valley plateau.

“The Duck River is not the only place,” he said. “It’s the most pressing place where these needs are.”

TDEC’s proposed budget also includes funding for three new state parks. A drive lunch at the intersection of Perry, Hickman and Lewis counties. Park at the current Cherokee Emancipation Memorial Park in Maigs County. And what is the state’s first “Blueway” park along the Clinch River in eastern Tennessee?

The budget seeks funds to fully staff two of the nine new state parks already approved.

An additional $6.2 million will be used to eliminate postponed maintenance on existing Tennessee parks and properties. This includes stabilizing the coastline in three parks. This is two in Chattanooga, one in Paris Landing – suffering from erosion and devastation.