NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — John Guider has spent his life behind a camera and on the water. Now, he has combined both passions into a new PBS Nashville documentary that puts a spotlight on the future of the Duck River — a critical water source for one of Tennessee's fastest-growing regions.
"Nature is basically a church for me. It's the world that God made and I want to celebrate it," Guider said.
The documentary, titled Down the Duck, follows Guider's month-long canoe journey down nearly the entire length of the Duck River. He begins below Old Stone Fort State Park near Manchester and ends where the Duck meets the Tennessee River in Humphreys County. "I'm in kind of a stealth mode. And so, when I go down the banks, I can see animals interacting with each other and I'm pretty much invisible to them," Guider said.
The film captures both the river's beauty and biodiversity — and the serious challenges it faces.
The Duck River has been at the center of a long-running debate over its future. Discussions continue over a proposal to dam part of the river to create a lake. NewsChannel 5 did a lengthy report on the proposal in 2025. You can watch it here. There are also growing concerns about the volume of water being drawn from the river, especially during drought conditions, to meet the demands of rapid regional growth.
Guider said the strain on the river is already showing. "They're taking out so much water, the Duck is running dry," Guider said.
The journey itself was not without danger. Near the end of his voyage, Guider capsized. "A limb caught the left hand side and the power of the current pushed on the right side — and that's how I toppled," Guider said.
Guider was physically unharmed, but most of his gear — including his camera and all of his photos — was lost downstream. He also had to borrow another canoe to complete the trip.
Despite the hardships, Guider said the experience deepened his commitment to protecting the river. "After about two weeks on the water, I get to be so one with the canoe I don't want to leave it," Guider said. "We need to keep that heritage."
Down the Duck screens on Friday, June 12th at the Mulehouse in Columbia, starting at 6:30 p.m. For more event details, click here.
You can also watch the documentary in its entirety for free on PBS Nashville's website.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Chris.Davis@NewsChannel5.com.
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