The Tombigbee River is a tributary of the

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, Georgia ...

, approximately 200 mi (325 km) long, in the

U.S. states In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Mis ...

and

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 ...

. Together with the

, it merges to form the short Mobile River before the latter empties into

Mobile Bay Mobile Bay ( ) is a shallow inlet of the Gulf of Mexico, lying within the state of Alabama in the United States. Its mouth is formed by the Fort Morgan Peninsula on the eastern side and Dauphin Island, a barrier island on the western side. Th ...

on the

Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United S ...

. The Tombigbee watershed encompasses much of the rural

coastal plain A coastal plain is flat, low-lying land adjacent to a sea coast. A fall line commonly marks the border between a coastal plain and a piedmont area. Some of the largest coastal plains are in Alaska and the southeastern United States. The Gulf Co ...

of western Alabama and northeastern Mississippi, flowing generally southward. The river provides one of the principal routes of commercial navigation in the southern United States, as it is navigable along much of its length through locks and connected in its upper reaches to the

Tennessee River The Tennessee River is the largest tributary of the Ohio River. It is approximately long and is located in the southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. The river was once popularly known as the Cherokee River, among other names ...

via the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. The name "Tombigbee" comes from Choctaw ''/itumbi ikbi/'', meaning "box maker, coffin maker", from ''/itumbi/'', "box, coffin", and ''/ikbi/'', "maker". The river formed the eastern boundary of the historical Choctaw lands, from the 17th century when they coalesced as a people, to the forced Indian Removal by the United States in the 1830s.

Description

USACE Coffeeville Lock and Dam Tombigbee

The river begins in northeastern Mississippi just south of the

Pharr Mounds Pharr Mounds is a Middle Woodland period archaeological site located near Tupelo in parts of Itawamba and Prentiss counties in northern Mississippi. This complex was made of earthwork mounds. The complex of eight dome-shaped, tumulus burial mound ...

near the northern county line of Itawamba County, at what was once known as the source of the east fork of the river.. Retrieved 14 June 2005. Historically, the beginning of the river was in northern Monroe County at the confluence of Town Creek (also known as West Fork Tombigbee River) and the east fork of the river. The river flows east through Aberdeen Lake near

Aberdeen Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), ...

, and

Columbus Lake Columbus is a Latinized version of the Italian surname "'' Colombo''". It most commonly refers to: * Christopher Columbus (1451-1506), the Italian explorer * Columbus, Ohio, capital of the U.S. state of Ohio Columbus may also refer to: Places ...

near

Columbus Columbus is a Latinized version of the Italian surname "''Colombo''". It most commonly refers to: * Christopher Columbus (1451-1506), the Italian explorer * Columbus, Ohio, capital of the U.S. state of Ohio Columbus may also refer to: Places ...

. It flows through

Aliceville Lake Aliceville Lake is a reservoir in western Alabama and eastern Mississippi, on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. Close to Aliceville, it is impounded by the Tom Bevill Lock and Dam The Tom Bevill Lock and Dam, formerly named Aliceville Lock ...

on the Mississippi-Alabama border, then generally SSE across western Alabama in a highly

meander A meander is one of a series of regular sinuous curves in the channel of a river or other watercourse. It is produced as a watercourse erodes the sediments of an outer, concave bank ( cut bank) and deposits sediments on an inner, convex ban ...

ing course, past Gainesville and Demopolis. There it is joined from the northeast by the

Black Warrior River The Black Warrior River is a waterway in west-central Alabama in the southeastern United States. The river rises in the extreme southern edges of the Appalachian Highlands and flows 178 miles (286 km) to the Tombigbee River, of which the ...

. South of Demopolis it flows generally south across southwestern Alabama (forming

Sumter Sumter may refer to: People Given name * Sumter S. Arnim (1904–1990), American dentist * Sumter de Leon Lowry Jr. (1893–1985), United States Army general Surname * Rowendy Sumter (born 1988), Curaçaoan footballer * Shavonda E. Sumter ( ...

and Choctaw counties' borders with

Marengo County Marengo County is a county located in the west central portion of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census, the population was 19,323. The largest city is Demopolis, and the county seat is Linden. It is named in honor of the Battle of ...

). Past

Jackson Jackson may refer to: People and fictional characters * Jackson (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the surname or given name Places Australia * Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region * Jackson North, Qu ...

it joins the

Alabama River The Alabama River, in the U.S. state of Alabama, 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 ...

from the north on the

Mobile Mobile may refer to: Places * Mobile, Alabama, a U.S. port city * Mobile County, Alabama * Mobile, Arizona, a small town near Phoenix, U.S. * Mobile, Newfoundland and Labrador Arts, entertainment, and media Music Groups and labels * Mobile ...

Baldwin Baldwin is a Germanic name, composed of the elements ''bald'' "bold" and ''win'' "friend". People * Baldwin (name) Places Canada * Baldwin, York Regional Municipality, Ontario * Baldwin, Ontario, in Sudbury District * Baldwin's Mills, Qu ...

county line, approximately 30 mi (50 km) north of

; this confluence forms the

. After the completion of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway in 1985, much of the middle course of the river in northeastern Mississippi was diverted into the new, straightened channel. Above Aberdeen Lake, the waterway flows alongside the original course of the river. In addition to the Black Warrior, the river is joined by the

Buttahatchee River The Buttahatchee River is a tributary of the Tombigbee River, about long, in northwestern Alabama and northeastern Mississippi in the United States. Via the Tombigbee River, it is part of the watershed of the Mobile River, which flows to the Gul ...

from the east, north of Columbus, Mississippi. To the South of Columbus, Luxapalila Creek joins with the Tombigbee River, approximately 5.2 miles from downtown Columbus. Approximately 10 mi (15 km) north of Gainesville, it is joined from the north by the

Sipsey River Sipsey is the name of several features in the U.S. state of Alabama: * Sipsey, Alabama, a town in Walker County * The Sipsey Wilderness, a wilderness area in the Bankhead National Forest * Sipsey Fork of the Black Warrior River, flowing through the ...

. At Gainesville, it is joined from the west by the

Noxubee River 200px, right The Noxubee River (NAHKS-uh-bee) is a tributary of the Tombigbee River, about long, in east-central Mississippi and west-central Alabama in the United States. Via the Tombigbee, it is part of the watershed of the Mobile River, whic ...

. The Choctaw National Wildlife Refuge is along the river in southwestern Alabama, approximately 20 mi (30 km) northwest of Jackson. The upper reaches of the Tombigbee formed the homeland of the formidable

Chickasaw The Chickasaw ( ) are an indigenous people of the Southeastern Woodlands. Their traditional territory was in the Southeastern United States of Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee as well in southwestern Kentucky. Their language is classifi ...

. The French official Bienville used the Tombigbee to travel with his forces in his 1736 campaign against the Chickasaw. In the nineteenth century, they were considered one of the

Five Civilized Tribes The term Five Civilized Tribes was applied by European Americans in the colonial and early federal period in the history of the United States to the five major Native American nations in the Southeast—the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek ...

of the Southeast, as they adopted some European-American ways. But Congress passed the

Indian Removal Act The Indian Removal Act was signed into law on May 28, 1830, by United States President Andrew Jackson. The law, as described by Congress, provided "for an exchange of lands with the Indians residing in any of the states or territories, and for ...

of 1830, in order to remove the Native Americans and enable development by European Americans. The United States forced the Chickasaw west of the Mississippi to

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 ...

, extinguishing most of their claims to land in the Southeast.

Lock and dams

The Tombigbee River has five lock and dams along its length. Lock & Dams are listed from north to south; the river mile indicates the distance from the mouth of the

. * John C. Stennis Lock & Dam is located at river mile 334.7 * Tom Bevill Lock & Dam is located at river mile 306.8 * Howell Heflin Lock & Dam is located at river mile 266.1 * Demopolis Lock & Dam is located at river mile 213.2 * Coffeeville Lock and Dam is located at river mile 116.6.

Tributaries

Tributaries that empty directly into the Tombigbee: * West River * Bassetts Creek (Washington County) * Bassett Creek (Clarke County) * Jackson Creek * Santa Bogue Creek * Turkey Creek * Okatuppa Creek *

Oak Slush Creek Oak Slush Creek is a stream in the U.S. state of Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the ...

* Big Tallawampa Creek *

Bashi Creek Bashi Creek, also historically known as Bashai Creek, is a tributary of the Tombigbee River in northern Clarke County in Alabama. Location Bashi Creek originates near Bashi, at coordinates of , and discharges into the Tombigbee River near Wood ...

Wahalak Creek Wahalak Creek is a stream in the U.S. state of Mississippi. It is a tributary to the Noxubee River 200px, right The Noxubee River (NAHKS-uh-bee) is a tributary of the Tombigbee River, about long, in east-central Mississippi and west-central Al ...

* Sucarbowa Creek * Horse Creek * Tuckabum Creek * Beaver Creek * Kinterbish Creek * Chickasaw Bogue * Cotohaga Creek *

Sucarnoochee River The Sucarnoochee River is a river in Kemper County, Mississippi and Sumter County, Alabama. It originates at , near Porterville, Mississippi, and discharges into the Tombigbee River at . It is long and drains an area of . ''Sucarnoochee'' is a ...

Spring Creek A spring creek is a type of free flowing river whose name derives from its origin: an underground spring or set of springs which produces sufficient water to consistently feed a unique river. The water flowing in a spring creek may additionally b ...

* Hall Creek *

Brush Creek A brush is a common tool with bristles, wire or other filaments. It generally consists of a handle or block to which filaments are affixed in either a parallel or perpendicular orientation, depending on the way the brush is to be gripped durin ...

* Trussells Creek *

* Lubbub Creek *

Big Creek Big Creek may refer to: In Australia * Big Creek, Tasmania, a tributary of the Inglis River in Tasmania, Australia In Belize * Big Creek, Belize, a sea port in Belize In Canada * Big Creek (British Columbia), a tributary of the Chilcotin River * ...

Luxapallila Creek Luxapalila Creek (also spelled Luxapallila Creek) is a stream in Mississippi and Alabama in the United States. ''Luxapalila'' means "flying turtle" in the Choctaw language. The creek drains a watershed of and flows through Lamar County, Mario ...

Tibbee Creek Tibbee Creek is a stream in the U.S. state of Mississippi. ''Tibbee'' is a name derived from the Choctaw language The Choctaw language (Choctaw: ), spoken by the Choctaw, an Indigenous people of the Southeastern Woodlands, is part of the Mu ...

* Town Creek * Bull Mountain Creek

''Cahaba'' Incident

On April 28, 1979, a tugboat named M/V ''Cahaba'' was on the Tombigbee near

Demopolis, Alabama Demopolis is the largest city in Marengo County, in west-central Alabama. The population was 7,162 at the time of the 2020 United States census, down from 7,483 at the 2010 census. The city lies at the confluence of the Black Warrior River and ...

Bjarne & Captain Michael L. Smith, "The Tugboat story"
(M/V Cahaba), Monet.fi (Finland), January 2006 trying to guide two coal barges under a flooded side-span of the old Rooster Bridge (removed years later), but the flood current was too strong. The tug and barges approached the

drawbridge A drawbridge or draw-bridge is a type of moveable bridge typically at the entrance to a castle or tower surrounded by a moat. In some forms of English, including American English, the word ''drawbridge'' commonly refers to all types of moveable ...

-section, which failed to re-open fast enough while the river was near flood stage (drawbridges must close and re-open to allow waiting traffic to cross). The fast currents pinned the Cahaba's starboard side against the bridge in high waters. The force was so great that it pulled the boat downward, tilting it beneath the bridge, and fully submerging it in the river. The underwater pressure blew out a port-side window in the pilot house, which began filling with water, while the captain remained at the helm. Soon the tugboat emerged from beneath the other side of the bridge and righted itself, with water pouring from the doorways and decks."Cahaba Towboat Incident"
One of the two main ventilator funnels had tilted to the center, yet one engine was still running, and the captain steered to anchor the tugboat in a flooded cornfield. Another downstream tugboat, M/V ''Tallapoosa'', rescued the captain and all three crew members; with the pilot, then secured the two barges of coal. The barges were later towed to Mobile by the same company's towboat M/V ''Mauvilla.'' The Mauvilla is otherwise notable for its later involvement in the

1993 Big Bayou Canot train wreck On September 22, 1993, an Amtrak train derailed on the CSX Transportation Big Bayou Canot Bridge near Mobile, Alabama, United States. It was caused by displacement of a span and deformation of the rails when a tow of heavy barges collided with t ...

Recreation

Pleasure boats, cruising America's

Great Loop The Great Loop is a system of waterways that encompasses the eastern portion of the United States and part of Canada. It is made up of both natural and man-made waterways, including the Atlantic and Gulf Intracoastal Waterways, the Great Lakes, ...

, use the waterway each year in the fall.

Folklore

The river is closely associated with several steamboat disasters, including the ''

Eliza Battle The ''Eliza Battle'' was a Tombigbee River steamboat that ran a route between Columbus, Mississippi and Mobile, Alabama in the United States during the 1850s. She was destroyed in a fire on the river near modern Pennington, Alabama on March 1, 1 ...

'' and '' James T. Staples''. The "Tombigbee River Waltz" or the singing song "Tombigbee River" are beloved old time waltzes performed by fiddlers including James Bryan, Kenny Jackson, Jay Ungar and Eric Hatling. The song was featured as a Charles Ingalls song in the Little House books.

References

External links

* * {{Authority control

Tombigbee The Tombigbee River is a tributary of the Mobile River, approximately 200 mi (325 km) long, in the U.S. states of Mississippi and Alabama. Together with the Alabama, it merges to form the short Mobile River before the latter empties ...

Rivers of Choctaw County, Alabama Rivers of Clarke County, Alabama Rivers of Clay County, Mississippi Rivers of Greene County, Alabama Rivers of Itawamba County, Mississippi Rivers of Lowndes County, Mississippi Rivers of Marengo County, Alabama Rivers of Monroe County, Mississippi Rivers of Pickens County, Alabama Rivers of Sumter County, Alabama Rivers of Tishomingo County, Mississippi Rivers of Washington County, Alabama Tributaries of the Tombigbee River