FRANKLIN (AP) - The Harpeth River is flowing freely for the first time in 50 years.

On Wednesday, heavy equipment removed a small dam that formed a pool used to supplement the city of Franklin's drinking water.

Thanks to improved technology, Franklin will still be able to pull water from the river. The 6-foot-high dam will be replaced with a low-profile, in-stream boulder feature that has a drop of only about 6 inches but still creates a small pool. Fish and other aquatic animals will be able to move through it both ways. So will people who boat or fish there.

Dorie Bolze is executive director of the Harpeth River Watershed Association and helped pull the project together. The river biologist said the Harpeth has an amazing variety of fish and other animals.