There’s an effort underway to demolish old dams in order to allow creeks and streams to flow more freely. Tuesday morning a team led by *Cumberland River Compact took down a four-foot tall barrier of stone and mortar that stretched across Seven Mile Creek near Brentwood.
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The old fashioned dam was previously used to create a pool for agricultural purposes. But Tennessee Nature Conservancy spokesman Paul Kingsbury says it was hurting the endangered Nashville Crayfish, which needs clear, flowing water.
“The web of life is sort of like a symphony orchestra,” he says. “Any time you take out one instrument it changes the sound, you take out enough, it sounds terrible.”
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The Nature Conservancy is one of the agencies that has been working with the state and other environmental groups to remove dams, with three projects completed so far. Organizers say the necessary permits can take a year or more to obtain. It also costs roughly $35,000 to do the work. undefinedundefined
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Conservation groups estimate Tennessee may have a thousand dams that serve no purpose and need to be taken out. They hope to complete one or two projects a year.undefinedundefined
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undefined*A previous version mistakenly identified the Nature Conservancy as the lead agency. Corrections have also been made to the type of crayfish that is found in Seven Mile Creek and the total cost for taking out the dam.undefined
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