The Alabama River, in the U.S. state of
Alabama
(We dare defend our rights)
, anthem = " Alabama"
, image_map = Alabama in United States.svg
, seat = Montgomery
, LargestCity = Huntsville
, LargestCounty = Baldwin County
, LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham
, area_total_km2 = 135,7 ...
, is formed by the
Tallapoosa and
Coosa rivers, which unite about north of
Montgomery, near the town of
Wetumpka.
The river flows west to
Selma, then southwest until, about from
Mobile, it unites with the
Tombigbee, forming the
Mobile and
Tensaw rivers, which discharge into
Mobile Bay.
[
]
Description
The run of the Alabama is highly meandering. Its width varies from , and its depth from . Its length as measured by the United States Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey (USGS), formerly simply known as the Geological Survey, is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, ...
is ,[U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data]
The National Map
, accessed April 27, 2011 and by steamboat
A steamboat is a boat that is marine propulsion, propelled primarily by marine steam engine, steam power, typically driving propellers or Paddle steamer, paddlewheels. Steamboats sometimes use the ship prefix, prefix designation SS, S.S. or S/S ...
measurement, .
The river crosses the richest agricultural and timber districts of the state. Railways connect it with the mineral regions of north-central Alabama.
After the Coosa and Tallapoosa rivers, the principal tributary of the Alabama is the Cahaba River, which is about long[ and joins the Alabama River about below Selma. The Alabama River's main tributary, the Coosa River, crosses the mineral region of Alabama and is navigable for light-draft boats from Rome, Georgia, to about above Wetumpka (about below Rome and below Greensport), and from Wetumpka to its junction with the Tallapoosa. The channel of the river has been considerably improved by the federal government.
The navigation of the Tallapoosa River – which has its source in Paulding County, Georgia, and is about long][ – is prevented by ]shoal
In oceanography, geomorphology, and geoscience, a shoal is a natural submerged ridge, bank, or bar that consists of, or is covered by, sand or other unconsolidated material and rises from the bed of a body of water to near the surface. It ...
s and a fall at Tallassee, a few miles north of its junction with the Coosa. The Alabama is navigable throughout the year.
The river played an important role in the growth of the economy in the region during the 19th century as a source of transportation of goods, which included slaves. The river is still used for transportation of farming produce; however, it is not as important as it once was due to the construction of roads and railways.
Documented by Europeans first in 1701, the Alabama, Coosa, and Tallapoosa rivers were central to the homeland of the Creek Indians before their removal by United States forces to the Indian Territory
The Indian Territory and the Indian Territories are terms that generally described an evolving land area set aside by the United States Government for the relocation of Native Americans who held aboriginal title to their land as a sovereign ...
in the 1830s.
Lock and dams
The Alabama River has three lock and dams between Montgomery and the Mobile River. The Robert F. Henry Lock & Dam is located at river mile 236.2, the Millers Ferry Lock & Dam is located at river mile 133.0, and the Claiborne Lock & Dam is located at river mile 72.5.[Courtes]
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mobile District
Gallery
Image:USACE Claiborne Lock and Dam.jpg, Claiborne Lock and Dam on the Alabama River, approximately upriver from Claiborne, Monroe County
Image:USACE Robert F Henry Lock and Dam.jpg, Robert F. Henry Lock and Dam on the Alabama River, approximately east of Selma
Image:Cesam249.jpg, Millers Ferry Lock and Dam
Millers Ferry Lock and Dam is a lock and hydroelectric dam on the Alabama River, near the community of Millers Ferry, Alabama. It was built by and continues to be operated by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Construction of the comple ...
on the Alabama River in Wilcox County, approximately northwest of Camden
Image:Alabama River RM192 Selma.JPG, Alabama River in Dallas County looking upstream towards Selma.
Image:Alabama River at Benton Park.JPG, The Alabama River in Lowndes County as seen from Benton Park in Benton, Alabama
(We dare defend our rights)
, anthem = " Alabama"
, image_map = Alabama in United States.svg
, seat = Montgomery
, LargestCity = Huntsville
, LargestCounty = Baldwin County
, LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham
, area_total_km2 = 135,7 ...
.
Image:Edmund Pettus Bridge over Alabama River.jpg, The Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma overlooking the Alabama River.
File:Selma December 2018 11 (Alabama River).jpg, The Alabama River in Selma
File:Riverfront Park December 2018 07 (Alabama River).jpg, Alabama River at Riverfront Park in Montgomery
See also
*List of Alabama rivers
This is a list of rivers of the US state of Alabama. Alabama has over 77,000 miles of rivers and streams with more freshwater biodiversity than any other US state. Alabama's rivers are among the most biologically diverse waterways in the world. ...
*Tallapoosa River
The Tallapoosa River runs U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 27, 2011 from the southern end of the Appalachian Mountains in Georgia, United States, southward and wes ...
*Coosa River
The Coosa River is a tributary of the Alabama River in the U.S. states of Alabama and Georgia. The river is about long.U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 27, 201 ...
*Mobile River
The Mobile River is located in southern Alabama in the United States. Formed out of the confluence of the Tombigbee and Alabama rivers, the approximately river drains an area of of Alabama, with a watershed extending into Mississippi, Georg ...
* South Atlantic-Gulf Water Resource Region
References
External links
Allrefer.com
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Alabama placenames of Native American origin
Rivers of Autauga County, Alabama
Rivers of Monroe County, Alabama
Rivers of Montgomery County, Alabama
Rivers of Wilcox County, Alabama
Rivers of Dallas County, Alabama
Rivers of Mobile County, Alabama
Rivers of Elmore County, Alabama
Rivers of Alabama