New River (Tennessee)
Encyclopedia
The New River is a 58.7 miles (94.5 km) tributary of the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River
in the U.S. state
of Tennessee
. Via the Big South Fork and the Cumberland
and Ohio
rivers, it is part of the Mississippi River
watershed.
The New River rises on Frozen Head
, a notable mountain of Morgan County, Tennessee, named for its frequent winter appearance and the focal point of a Tennessee State Park and Natural Area. Draining an area of Pennsylvanian
Period rock that has been subjected to extensive strip mining for coal
, the upper reaches of the stream have at times been subject to heavy pollution
. The stream initially trends northeast. The upper portion of the course is paralleled by State Route 116
. It soon crosses into a remote area of Anderson County
, and then into Campbell County
. At this juncture, State Route 116 turns to the southeast, and the road paralleling the New River becomes a small county road. The stream trends generally north from this point for several miles, and is also paralleled by a railroad constructed primarily for the purposes of coal transport.
The stream, road, and railroad cross into Scott County. Several miles into Scott County, the stream begins a westerly trend. It drains an area developed by the petroleum
industry as an oil field, and is crossed by U.S. Highway 27 at the community of New River. Just downstream of this community is the boundary of the Big South Fork National Recreation Area. The New River is joined slightly downstream of this point by the Clear Fork, and the stream downstream from this point is known as the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River
.
Big South Fork of the Cumberland River
The Big South Fork of the Cumberland River is a river in Tennessee and Kentucky. It is a major drainage feature of the Cumberland Plateau, a major tributary of the Cumberland River system, a world-class whitewater canoeing and kayaking stream, and the major feature of the Big South Fork National...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. Via the Big South Fork and the Cumberland
Cumberland River
The Cumberland River is a waterway in the Southern United States. It is long. It starts in Harlan County in far southeastern Kentucky between Pine and Cumberland mountains, flows through southern Kentucky, crosses into northern Tennessee, and then curves back up into western Kentucky before...
and Ohio
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...
rivers, it is part 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...
watershed.
The New River rises on Frozen Head
Frozen Head
Frozen Head is a mountain in Morgan County, Tennessee. It is the second highest peak in the Crab Orchard Mountains, at . Frozen Head is located in Frozen Head State Park and Natural Area....
, a notable mountain of Morgan County, Tennessee, named for its frequent winter appearance and the focal point of a Tennessee State Park and Natural Area. Draining an area of Pennsylvanian
Pennsylvanian
The Pennsylvanian is, in the ICS geologic timescale, the younger of two subperiods of the Carboniferous Period. It lasted from roughly . As with most other geochronologic units, the rock beds that define the Pennsylvanian are well identified, but the exact date of the start and end are uncertain...
Period rock that has been subjected to extensive strip mining for coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
, the upper reaches of the stream have at times been subject to heavy pollution
Pollution
Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into a natural environment that causes instability, disorder, harm or discomfort to the ecosystem i.e. physical systems or living organisms. Pollution can take the form of chemical substances or energy, such as noise, heat or light...
. The stream initially trends northeast. The upper portion of the course is paralleled by State Route 116
Tennessee State Route 116
State Route 116 in Tennessee runs from its junction with State Route 62 at its southwestern end between Wartburg and Coalfield in Morgan County, to its northeastern end at Caryville, Tennessee in Campbell County....
. It soon crosses into a remote area of Anderson County
Anderson County, Tennessee
Anderson County is a U.S. county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2010 census, its population is 75,129. Its county seat is Clinton.It is included in the Knoxville, Tennessee, Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, and then into Campbell County
Campbell County, Tennessee
Campbell County is a U.S. county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of 2010, the population was 40,716. Its county seat is Jacksboro. The Census Bureau has identified the county as a Micropolitan Statistical Area, designated the LaFollette Micropolitan Statistical Area for the largest...
. At this juncture, State Route 116 turns to the southeast, and the road paralleling the New River becomes a small county road. The stream trends generally north from this point for several miles, and is also paralleled by a railroad constructed primarily for the purposes of coal transport.
The stream, road, and railroad cross into Scott County. Several miles into Scott County, the stream begins a westerly trend. It drains an area developed by the petroleum
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
industry as an oil field, and is crossed by U.S. Highway 27 at the community of New River. Just downstream of this community is the boundary of the Big South Fork National Recreation Area. The New River is joined slightly downstream of this point by the Clear Fork, and the stream downstream from this point is known as the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River
Big South Fork of the Cumberland River
The Big South Fork of the Cumberland River is a river in Tennessee and Kentucky. It is a major drainage feature of the Cumberland Plateau, a major tributary of the Cumberland River system, a world-class whitewater canoeing and kayaking stream, and the major feature of the Big South Fork National...
.