Courtesy: National Park Service
A road project years in the making is underway, but not without a small hang-up.
Old Knoxville Highway or Highway 33 runs over the Little River in Rockford. The ailing bridge needed a face lift. However, during construction crews ran into something they weren't expecting.
The fish the Duskytail Dart breeds under the bridge. It is on the U.S Endangered Species List.
So, the Tennessee Department of Transportation called in an environmentalist to check out the waters. The Duskytail Darter needs clean, silt free water to live in.
Now, crews must be extra careful to not disturb their home or drop any chemicals in the water.
"It obviously is something that TDOT cares very much for about the environment. In this case, make sure no fish are harmed," said Mark Nagi with TDOT.
The finding of this fish will not delay the project. It is still set for completion this November.