Obed River

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title: "Obed River" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["rivers-of-tennessee", "wild-and-scenic-rivers-of-the-united-states", "protected-areas-of-cumberland-county,-tennessee", "protected-areas-of-morgan-county,-tennessee", "national-park-service-areas-in-tennessee", "rivers-of-cumberland-county,-tennessee", "rivers-of-morgan-county,-tennessee"] topic_path: "geography/united-states" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obed_River" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox river"]

Field	Value
name	Obed River
image	Obed Wild and Scenic River OBRI4320.jpg
image_caption	Obed River
map	Emoryrivermap (cropped).png
map_caption	The Emory/Obed drainage basin
subdivision_type1	Country
subdivision_name1	United States
subdivision_type2	State
subdivision_name2	Tennessee
length	45 mi
discharge1_location	Alley Ford, 1.5 mi above the mouth(mean for water years 1957-1968, 1974-1983)
discharge1_min	.4 cuft/s
October 1963
discharge1_avg	1062 cuft/s(mean for water years 1957-1968, 1974-1983)
discharge1_max	105000 cuft/s
May 1973
source1	southwest of Crossville in Cumberland County, Tennessee
source1_coordinates
source1_elevation	1860 ft
mouth	Emory River, southwest of Wartburg in Morgan County, Tennessee
mouth_coordinates
mouth_elevation	846 ft
basin_size	520 sqmi
tributaries_right	Little Obed River
extra	{{Designation list
embed	yes
designation1	nwsr
designation1_type	Wild, Scenic
designation1_date	October 12, 1976
::

| name = Obed River | native_name = | native_name_lang = | name_other = | name_etymology = | image = Obed Wild and Scenic River OBRI4320.jpg | image_caption = Obed River | map = Emoryrivermap (cropped).png | map_size = | map_caption = The Emory/Obed drainage basin | pushpin_map = | pushpin_map_size = | pushpin_map_caption= | subdivision_type1 = Country | subdivision_name1 = United States | subdivision_type2 = State | subdivision_name2 = Tennessee | subdivision_type3 = | subdivision_name3 = | subdivision_type4 = | subdivision_name4 = | subdivision_type5 = | subdivision_name5 = | length = 45 mi | width_min = | width_avg = | width_max = | depth_min = | depth_avg = | depth_max = | discharge1_location= Alley Ford, 1.5 mi above the mouth(mean for water years 1957-1968, 1974-1983) | discharge1_min = .4 cuft/s October 1963 | discharge1_avg = 1062 cuft/s(mean for water years 1957-1968, 1974-1983) | discharge1_max = 105000 cuft/s May 1973 | source1 = southwest of Crossville in Cumberland County, Tennessee | source1_location = | source1_coordinates= | source1_elevation = 1860 ft | mouth = Emory River, southwest of Wartburg in Morgan County, Tennessee | mouth_location = | mouth_coordinates = | mouth_elevation = 846 ft | progression = | river_system = | basin_size = 520 sqmi | tributaries_left = | tributaries_right = Little Obed River | custom_label = | custom_data = | extra = {{Designation list | embed = yes | designation1 = nwsr | designation1_type = Wild, Scenic | designation1_date = October 12, 1976 | designation1_number = Obed River is a stream draining a part of the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee, the United States. It, and particularly its tributaries, are important streams for whitewater enthusiasts.

The Obed River rises in Cumberland County, Tennessee, just south of Crossville. It is bridged by U.S. Highway 70 between downtown Crossville and the municipal airport, and meets its confluence with the Little Obed River near a bridge on U.S. Highway 70N and an abandoned railroad bridge which was formerly part of the rail system linking Nashville and Knoxville. Shortly thereafter, it is bridged by U.S. Highway 127 and Interstate 40. Except during periods of very high flow, the stream is scarcely visible from these bridges because of the depth of its gorge.

Obed Wild and Scenic River

From there the stream enters a rather remote area. After several miles it is bridged by State Route 298 (Genesis Road). From this point to its mouth it is designated as a National Wild and Scenic River along with Clear Creek and Daddys Creek.{{cite web |url = http://www.rivers.gov/wsr-obed.html |title = Obed River |publisher = National Wild and Scenic Rivers |access-date = July 11, 2011 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111015082552/http://rivers.gov/wsr-obed.html |archive-date = October 15, 2011

The direction of flow changes gradually from largely south to north to largely west to east. Shortly after crossing into Morgan County it receives the flow of Daddys Creek, which is a good whitewater rafting stream. Downstream from this is the mouth of Clear Creek. This stream is also part of the Obed River "Wild and Scenic" designation; like Daddys Creek, it too is a premiere whitewater stream during periods of high flow.

Amenities

The National Park Service maintains a visitor center located at 208 North Maiden Street in Wartburg. They also maintain the Rock Creek Campground and the Nemo Picnic Area.

Emory River confluence

Several miles below the mouth of Clear Creek is the confluence with the Emory River. Although the Obed River is the larger of the two, the river takes the name of the Emory River below the confluence.

References

References

1. [https://www.nps.gov/obed/planyourvisit/outdooractivities.htm Obed Wild and Scenic River], U.S. National Park Service website. Accessed: 6 June 2015.
2. United States Geological Survey, ''Water Resources Data Tennessee: Water Year 1983'', Water Data Report TN-83-1, p. 141. Gaging station 03539800.
3. {{Gnis. 1303513. Obed River
4. Rodney Knight, William Wolfe, George Law, "[https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2014/1102/pdf/ofr2014-1102.pdf Hydrologic Data for the Obed River Watershed, Tennessee], 2014, p. 1. U.S. Geological Survey website. Accessed: 6 June 2015.

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