Marathon Swimmer to Swim Final Segment of Tennessee River
July 14, 2003
PERRYVILLE, Tenn. — Marathon swimmer Mimi Hughes today begins the fifth and final segment of her five-year quest to swim the 652-mile length of the Tennessee River.
Beginning at Perryville Marina, downstream from Perryville, Tenn., Hughes plans to swim through Kentucky Reservoir to the end of the Tennessee River. She expects to complete this year’s 131-mile segment, in Paducah, Ky., on July 25.
Last summer, she swam about 135 miles through Wilson and Pickwick reservoirs. She began the journey in Knoxville, Tenn., in 1999 and has swum a segment of the river every summer since then.
TVA’s Kentucky Watershed team is coordinating the use of a support boat and helping with logistical needs for Hughes’s swim. She is expected to be in the water daily for about two weeks.
The 47-year-old mother of four from Taft, Tenn., is trying to generate public interest in protecting the waters of the Tennessee River so that everyone can enjoy its benefits for years. Through integrated management of the river system, TVA tries to optimize the benefits including flood control, navigation, power generation, recreation, water quality and water supply.
“Many people take the river for granted and may not realize that their actions, not just on or near the water, but anywhere in the watershed, can be harmful to the river,” Hughes said. “I hope that my effort will get people interested in learning what they can do to help protect the precious, life-sustaining waters of our planet.”
Whether it’s preventing soil erosion along streams, closely following instructions for lawn chemicals, or just helping keep trash and pollution out of the river, Hughes says everyone can do something to help.
Hughes swam about 510 miles in four years to reach Perryville. More information about Hughes’s swim is available at www.riverswim.com.
TVA is the nation’s largest public power producer and is completely self-financed. TVA provides power to large industries and 158 power distributors that serve 8.3 million consumers in seven southeastern states.
Media Contact:
Michelle Chang, Knoxville (865-632-8108) or TVA News Bureau, Knoxville (865-632-6000)
