Tennessee River

Tennessee River, principal tributary of the Ohio River. Formed by the junction of Holston and French Broad rivers near Knoxville, Tenn., it flows southwest into Alabama, then northwest and north across Tennessee and into Kentucky. The Tennessee is 652 mi (1,049 km) in length, and it drains some 40,000 sq mi (103,600 sq km). The river's many dams and power facilities are under the control of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).