Leading Creek is a tributary

Tributary

A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...

 of the Ohio River

Ohio River

The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...

, 29.5 miles (47.5 km) long, in southeastern Ohio

Ohio

Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...

 in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. Via the Ohio River, it is part of the watershed

Drainage basin

A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...

 of the Mississippi River

Mississippi River

The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...

, draining an area of 150 square miles (388.5 km²) on the unglaciated

Glacier

A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...

 portion of the Allegheny Plateau

Allegheny Plateau

The Allegheny Plateau is a large dissected plateau area in western and central New York, northern and western Pennsylvania, northern and western West Virginia, and eastern Ohio...

. The creek's headwaters are in southern Athens County

Athens County, Ohio

As of the census of 2000, there were 62,223 people, 22,501 households, and 12,713 families residing in the county. The population density was 123 people per square mile . There were 24,901 housing units at an average density of 49 per square mile...

 and it flows for most of its length in western Meigs County

Meigs County, Ohio

Meigs County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 23,770. Its county seat is Pomeroy, and it is named for Return J. Meigs, Jr., the 4th Governor of Ohio.-Geography:...

; its tributaries also drain a small area of northeastern Gallia County

Gallia County, Ohio

As of the census of 2000, there were 31,069 people, 12,060 households, and 8,586 families residing in the county. The population density was 66 people per square mile . There were 13,498 housing units at an average density of 29 per square mile...

.

Leading Creek rises northwest of Albany

Albany, Ohio

Albany is a village in Athens County, Ohio, United States. The population was 808 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Albany is located at ....

 in Lee Township

Lee Township, Athens County, Ohio

Lee Township is one of the fourteen townships of Athens County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 2,531 people in the township, 1,747 of whom lived in the unincorporated portions of the township.-Geography:...

 in Athens County and initially flows southward into Meigs County, through Columbia Township

Columbia Township, Meigs County, Ohio

Columbia Township is one of the twelve townships of Meigs County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 1,018 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the northwestern corner of the county, it borders the following townships:...

, past the community of Carpenter

Carpenter, Ohio

Carpenter is an unincorporated community in Meigs County, Ohio, United States, along Leading Creek. It was named for one of three prominent Carpenter men who were natives of the area, Amos Carpenter, Sr., an old resident, or Jesse C. Carpenter, or State Senator J. L. Carpenter, who facilitated...

; then southeastward through Salem

Salem Township, Meigs County, Ohio

Salem Township is one of the twelve townships of Meigs County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 944 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the southwestern corner of the county, it borders the following townships:*Columbia Township - north...

, Rutland

Rutland Township, Meigs County, Ohio

Rutland Township is one of the twelve townships of Meigs County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 2,347 people in the township, 1,946 of whom lived in the unincorporated portions of the township.-Geography:...

, and Salisbury

Salisbury Township, Meigs County, Ohio

Salisbury Township is one of the twelve townships of Meigs County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 6,441 people in the township, 1,950 of whom lived in the unincorporated portions of the township.-Geography:...

 townships, through the community of Langsville

Langsville, Ohio

Langsville is an unincorporated community in western Rutland Township, Meigs County, Ohio, United States, along Leading Creek. Although it is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 45741.-Education:...

. It flows into the Ohio River at the south end of the village of Middleport

Middleport, Ohio

Middleport is a village in Meigs County, Ohio, United States, along the Ohio River. The population was 2,525 at the 2000 census.Middleport was the home of Walter "Mother" Watson, a Major League Baseball pitcher.-Geography:...

.

Little Leading Creek

Little Leading Creek is a tributary of Leading Creek and flows for its entire length in Meigs County. It rises at 39°08′54"N 82°09′16"W in Scipio Township

Scipio Township, Meigs County, Ohio

Scipio Township is one of the twelve townships of Meigs County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 1,050 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the northwestern part of the county, it borders the following townships:...

 and flows southward through the village of Rutland

Rutland, Ohio

Rutland is a village in Meigs County, Ohio, United States. The population was 401 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Rutland is located at . The village lies in the Appalachian Plateau physiographic region...

to 39°01′32"N 82°08′15"W in Rutland Township. It is 10.6 miles (17.1 km) long and drains an area of 25.6 square miles (66.3 km²).