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n
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2016
LIFE RUNS DEEP IN OUR RIVERS
1
MISSISSIPPI RIVER
2
The Mississippi River flows 167 miles
along Tennessee’s western border, but
because it shifts over time the river is
not the state line. The river is 2,320
miles long and is home to multiple
species, including 360 fish and 145
amphibians. More than 40 percent of
the country’s bird species migrate along
the river’s flyway.
Swallow
TENNESSEE RIVER
CUMBERLAND RIVER
3
The Tennessee River is more than 650 miles long
and divides Tennessee into three regions. The
river was vital to the culture of several Native
American tribes, including the Cherokee. Its
name originates from the Native American word
“Tanasi.” The Battle of Shiloh was fought along
the Tennessee River during the Civil War.
Kingsport
Union City
Cumberland River
Obion
Paris
J. Percy
Priest
Lake
Forked Deer River
Mississippi River
Tennessee River
Columbia
Melton
Hill
Lake
Emory River
Elk River
Boone
Lake
Holston River
Nolichucky River
Bald Eagle
Holston
Lake
Watauga
Lake
ECONOMY
AND THE
RIVERS
Johnson
City
For centuries, rivers have
fueled Tennessee’s economy
through commerce, with
agricultural and manufactured
goods shipped along the
waterways. More recently, the
tourism sector has benefited as
well, translating to new jobs
and new revenue for the state.
Dandridge
Newport
Clinch River
Murfreesboro
Douglas
Lake
Knoxville French Broad River
Tennessee River
Watts
Bar
Lake
McMinnville
Tellico
Lake
Sequatchie River
Manchester
Lawrenceburg
Cherokee
Lake
Cookeville
Center
Hill Lake
Shelbyville
Wolf River
Clinch River
Carthage
Jackson
Savannah
Norris
Lake
Stones River
Duck River
Buffalo River
Powe
Powell River
Cumberland River
Old Hickory
Lake
Nashville
Harpeth River
Dyersburg
Dale
Hollow
Lake
Celina
Gallatin
Kentucky
Lake
Obion River
Memphis
CLINCH RIVER
The Clinch River flows through Virginia and the Great
Appalachian Valley before joining the Tennessee River
in East Tennessee. The river used to be a major producer
of freshwater mussels and pearls before it was dammed.
Still, it is considered a great place for fly fishing. It was
St
designated a scenic river near Knoxville and is used for
de
recreational paddling.
re
The nearly 700-mile Cumberland River flows from Kentucky into
northern Tennessee, winding through Nashville. Commercial
fishermen harvest species like catfish and paddlefish from the river,
which is also used for commercial shipping. It’s a popular river
among recreational anglers looking for bass and
Catfish
crappie as well as catfish. Motorized boaters
also enjoy the river and its lakes.
Clarksville
Hatchie River
4
Chickamauga Lake
Hiwassee River
Tims Ford
Lake
Lake
Ocoee
Tennessee River
Winchester
Nickajack
Lake
DID YOU KNOW?
Tennessee
River Otter
For the 1996 Olympic
Games in Atlanta, the
Ocoee River was used
to hold the whitewater
canoe and kayak events.
Ocoee River
Chattanooga
Red Fox
USA TODAY NETWORK — TENNESSEE
Dragonfly
Tennessee River
in Alabama
5 HATCHIE RIVER
R
The West Tennessee river
is the longest free-flowing
tributary of the Lower Mississippi
River, and as a result, it has great
ecological diversity. The river’s ecosystem
supports more than 100 species of fish,
including 11 types of catfish, and about 250
species of birds. The Hatchie River starts in
Mississippi and is 238 miles long.
6 BUFFALO RIVER
Y KNOW?
DID YOU
The Tennessee
Ten
River’s
path make
makes a crescent
and its w
watershed
includes parts of Virginia,
Kentucky, Tennessee,
North Car
Carolina, Georgia,
Alabam
Alabama, and Mississippi.
Th
The 125-mile Buffalo River flows
through the southern and western
th
po
portions of Middle Tennessee. In
Middle Tennessee, it is the longest
Mi
unimpounded river, as well as the
un
longest Duck River tributary. The river
lo
is home to almost 85 species of fish. Its
scenery and fishing make it popular
sc
among kayakers and canoers.
am
GRAPHIC BY KENT TRAVIS , TEXT BY HOLLY MEYER, THINKSTOCK IMAGES - SOURCES: Tennessean research, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
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Salamander
7
DID YOU KNOW?
Tennessee
Crayfish
NOTE: Rivers and wildlife are representational and not to scale.
The Duck Rive
ver in
River is North America's richest river
variety of fres
ing more
freshwater animal species, containing
species of fish than are found in all the rivers of Europe
combined and more fish varieties per mile than
han any
other river in North America. Overall, the Duck
ck
supports a rema
ter animals
remarkable diversity of freshwater
in its waters,
ter including 151 species of fish, 60 freshwafreshw
fre
ter mussel spec
species and 22 species of aquatic snails.
sna
HIWASSEE RIVER
The 147-mile Hiwassee River flows from Georgia
Th
to the Tennessee River. Its flat and whitewater
rapi
rapids are a draw for paddlers and anglers. A
section of it is a designated scenic river and
sect
winds through the Cherokee National Forest. Its
wi
named after the Cherokee word that means “a
na
meadow place at the foot of the hills.”
me
Monarch
Butterfly
Cardinal