Tennessee River
The Tennessee begins at Knoxville where the French Broad and Holston rivers meet. It runs through Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi and Kentucky to the Ohio River near Paducah.
Course of the river, simplified. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
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River facts
| Length | 652 miles |
|---|---|
| Source | Knoxville, where the French Broad and Holston rivers meet |
| Mouth | Ohio River, near Paducah, Kentucky |
| Basin | 40,876 square miles |
Dams turn most of it into a chain of lakes, including Fort Loudoun, Watts Bar, Chickamauga, Nickajack and Kentucky Lake. It is the largest tributary of the Ohio.
Listed fish are the species named for the river on its Wikipedia page. Check the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency for river-specific regulations before you fish.
Lakes and flowages on the Tennessee River
Lakes in our guide on or connected to this river:
Source: Tennessee River (Wikipedia)