Cumberland River

The Cumberland River is a big river.

It flows through Kentucky and Tennessee. It starts in the mountains.

The water flows west to meet the Ohio River.

There are large waterfalls on this river. You can even see a moonbow there. A moonbow is a rainbow made by the moon.

Many small streams flow into the river. Some big cities sit near the water. People use boats to travel on it.

Sometimes the river flows over its banks. This is called a flood. People build dams to help stop floods.

The river is a very important place.

The Cumberland River is a large waterway in the Southern United States.

It flows through Kentucky and Tennessee. The river begins as three separate forks in the mountains. These forks meet at a place called Baxter, Kentucky. From there, the river flows west. It eventually meets the Ohio River near Paducah, Kentucky.

Many streams flow into the Cumberland. These are called tributaries. Some big cities sit along the river. These include Nashville and Clarksville in Tennessee. The river is also home to Cumberland Falls. This is a very large waterfall. It is one of the few places where you can see a moonbow. A moonbow is a rainbow made by moonlight.

People use the river for many things. Tugboats and barges move goods on the water.

Humans have also built many dams. These dams create large lakes. They also help to control floods. Floods happen when the river flows over its banks. In 2010, big floods hit Nashville and Clarksville. People had to leave their homes to stay safe.

The Cumberland River is a very important waterway in the Southern United States. It flows through parts of Kentucky and Tennessee.

The river drains much of southern Kentucky and north-central Tennessee. It starts in the Appalachian Mountains and flows west. Eventually, it meets the Ohio River near Paducah, Kentucky. This meeting point is also near the mouth of the Tennessee River. The river system is very large and has many parts.

The river begins as three separate forks in the mountains. These are called Martin's Fork, Clover Fork, and Poor Fork. They all meet at a place called Baxter, Kentucky.

After they meet, the river flows west through the mountains. It turns north toward a place called Cumberland Falls. This is one of the largest waterfalls in the southeast. It is a special place where you can sometimes see a moonbow. A moonbow is a rainbow made by moonlight.

Many other rivers and streams flow into the Cumberland. These smaller rivers are called tributaries. The Laurel and Rockcastle rivers join from the northeast. The Big South Fork joins from the south. The river also meets the Obey and Caney Fork rivers in Tennessee. Near Nashville, the Stones River joins the flow. Later, the Red River meets the river near Clarksville. These many paths make the river grow much wider.

People have a long history with this river. The Shawnee Native Americans called it Wasioto. French traders called it the Riviere des Chaouanons. In 1758, an explorer named Thomas Walker gave it its current name. For a long time, people used the river to travel and trade. Today, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers helps boats move on the water.

Large tugs and barges carry goods along the river.

Humans have changed the river in many ways. Many dams have been built to control floods. These dams create large lakes, like Lake Cumberland. These lakes are very big artificial reservoirs. Sometimes, the river still floods its banks. In 1977, heavy floods hit Harlan, Kentucky. In 2010, big floods hit Nashville and Clarksville, Tennessee. People had to leave their homes to stay safe during those times.

The Cumberland River is a major waterway in the Southern United States. It serves as a vital part of the regional geography by draining much of southern Kentucky and north-central Tennessee. The river flows generally westward from its source in the Appalachian Mountains. Eventually, it reaches its confluence, or meeting point, with the Ohio River near Paducah, Kentucky. This location is also near the mouth of the Tennessee River. The river system is complex and includes many large tributaries and man-made features.

The river begins as three separate headwater forks that converge in Baxter, Kentucky. The first is Martin's Fork, which starts near Hensley Settlement on Brush Mountain in Bell County. The second is Clover Fork, which starts on Black Mountain in Holmes Mill near the Virginia border. This fork once flowed through the center of Harlan, Kentucky. A flood control project started in 1992 diverted the fork through a tunnel under Little Black Mountain.

The third headwater is Poor Fork, a small stream starting on Pine Mountain in Letcher County. These three paths meet in Baxter to form the main Cumberland River.

As the river flows west through the Kentucky mountains, it turns northward toward Cumberland Falls. This is one of the largest waterfalls in the southeastern United States. It is a rare location in the Western Hemisphere where a moonbow can be seen. A moonbow is a rainbow produced by moonlight rather than sunlight.

After passing the falls, the river turns abruptly west again. During this stage, the river expands as it receives more water from other sources. The Laurel and Rockcastle rivers join from the northeast, and the Big South Fork joins from the south.

Human engineering has significantly changed the river's natural flow. The river flows into Lake Cumberland, which was created by the Wolf Creek Dam. This reservoir is one of the largest artificial lakes in the eastern United States. As the river crosses south into Tennessee, it joins the Obey and Caney Fork rivers. Near Nashville, the river is dammed twice more to form Cordell Hull Lake and Old Hickory Lake. After passing Nashville, the Stones River joins the flow. The river is then dammed again to create Cheatham Lake.

The history of the river includes many different names from various cultures. The Shawnee Native Americans called the river Wasioto. French traders used the name Riviere des Chaouanons, which means "River of the Shawnee." In 1758, the explorer Thomas Walker gave the river its current name. It is not certain if he named it after the Duke of Cumberland or the English county. For many years, the river was known as the Shawnee River. During the mid-19th century, settlers relied on the river as a primary route for travel and trade.

Flooding has been a significant part of the river's recent history. In April 1977, severe floods in Harlan, Kentucky, destroyed many homes and businesses. This disaster led to the construction of the Martins Fork Dam for flood control. Engineers also diverted the Clover Fork and moved the river through a mountain cut in Loyall, Kentucky. In late April and early May 2010, the river overflowed its banks during the Tennessee floods. This caused flooding in Nashville and Clarksville, and people in downtown Nashville were ordered to evacuate. Major flooding also occurred in February 2020 near Pineville, Barbourville, and Williamsburg.

Today, the Cumberland River remains an active and important system. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers maintains the river for tug-and-barge navigation.

This allows large vessels to transport goods through the region. The river eventually flows back into Kentucky through the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area. This area sits between Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley. Finally, the river flows north to merge with the Ohio River at Smithland, northeast of Paducah.