Learn how to create your own. The Holston River was known to the Cherokees by the name of Watauga.". [7] Pre-Civil War maps of Tennessee show that the river designated as the Holston River extended west of Knoxville, meeting with the Clinch River near Kingston and well past the present-day beginning of the Tennessee River (east of Knoxville) at the confluence of both the Holston River and the French Broad River. The basin includes parts of Watauga and Avery counties and only six incorporated towns, including Banner Elk, Beech Mountain and a portion of Boone. Always obey signs at the beach or advisories from official government agencies. This is also the deepest point on the Watauga River, reporting a gauge stage of 3.19 ft. Most documents agree that the name is of Native American origin, though which nation, tribe or language it descends from, and its meaning, are in question. In addition, 25-foot buffers of shrubs and trees must be maintained between trout streams and graded construction sites to filter runoff and prevent erosion. The spring emanates from the western side of the Tennessee Valley Divide, which is, at this location, congruent with the Eastern Continental Divide. The entire watershed drains approximately 816 square miles, 614 of which are in Tennessee and drains into the Boone Reservoir. Boone Dam is located below the slack water confluence of both South Fork Holston River and the downstream end (mouth) of the Watauga River. Join your Watauga Riverkeeper and MountainTrue in protecting this vital resource. Much of the land disturbance in the basin takes place on steep mountain slopes, which are naturally vulnerable to soil erosion. This page was last edited on 13 November 2020, at 22:26 (UTC). Eight aquatic animals in the Watauga River Basin are state-listed as endangered, threatened, of special concern or significantly rare. More than half of the streams in the basin are classified as trout waters, which means additional treatment is required at wastewater treatment plants. TVA releases approximately 130 cubic feet per second (3.7 m3/s) of discharged water back into the Watauga River during the summer months.[5]. They realized that the British Proclamation of 1763, forbidding colonial settlement west of the Blue Ridge Mountains in order to protect Native American territories, was essentially unenforceable. Early Tennessee historian John Haywood stated within his "The Civil and Political History of the State of Tennessee" published in 1823 that the "Watauga signifies the River of Islands, or the Island River. Farther downstream on the Watauga River at the boundary between Carter County and Washington County is the old TVA Watauga Steam Plant. These insects are so attractive to trout that fly fishermen make artificial lures that look like these creatures. The true origin of the name of the Watauga River is probably lost to antiquity. For commercial whitewater rafting and kayaking on the Watauga River, the most popular Carter County "put-in" is immediately downstream of the TVA Wilbur Dam, and the most popular "take-out" is 2 to 2½ hours downstream (depending upon the volume of the reservoir release and other factors) at the Blackbottom riverside portion of the city linear trail park in Elizabethton. The Watauga River originates on the north slopes of Grandfather Mountain on land protected by The Nature Conservancy. Would you be surprised to hear that when we think of Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanups we think of a sunny spring day, a warm summer breeze, leaves changing colours, and snowflakes gently falling on the ground? This map was created by a user. Brown trout stocking ended on the Watauga river in 2015. Watauga River Guides, Elizabethton, TN, 37643, United States. Swim Guide shares the best information we have at the moment you ask for it. © 2013-2015 Localwaters/Mark Martin. The second smallest river basin in the state, the Watauga River Basin makes up in rugged beauty for what it lacks in size. We may manually set the status for a specific beach if we have concerns about the sampling protocol, if there is an emergency, if monitoring practices don't exist or have recently changed, or other reasons that render this site "special.". Mountain bogs are a type of wetland that is fast disappearing— nearly 90 percent have been destroyed in North Carolina, and fewer than 150 are thought to remain in the entire Southeast. Local references say the name means "beautiful river" or "beautiful water". Several good examples of Southern Appalachian bogs are found in Julian Price Park on the Blue Ridge Parkway. A large, long-lived salamander, the hellbender, is a species of special concern in the basin and requires monitoring. Last edited on 13 November 2020, at 22:26. Watauga River. Overall water quality is excellent—most of the streams flow undisturbed through the forested mountains of the Blue Ridge. The river then flows across Watauga County, North Carolina crossing the Tennessee state line (River Mile (RM) 55.1) at Johnson County, then into Carter County, Tennessee and ends at its confluence with the Holston River's South Fork (RM 0) on the Washington/Sullivan County border. Long leaders, light tippet, and long drifts equal success. Joining the Swim Guide affiliates program in the spring of 2018, the Watauga Riverkeeper is the key protector and watchdog of the Watauga River Basin in Western North Carolina. Please report your pollution concerns so Affiliates can help keep other beach-goers safe. Ascending Grandfather Mountain's Profile Trail, this hike takes you past some of…, Grandfather Mountain is one of the most beautiful, rugged landscapes in North Ca…, /besthikes/grandfather-mountain-state-park/grandfathers-profile, Grandfather's Profile Hike in Grandfather Mountain State Park, NC, Grandfather Mountain / Profile Trail Hike, Sycamore Shoals Visitor Center and Museum. Flowing 126 km (78 miles) through North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee the Watauga River has been a source of life for thousands of years to both Indigenous peoples, and then later to some of the earliest European settlers. All Rights Reserved •, Our business is driven by custom requests, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window). Watauga River, North Carolina Watauga county, North Carolina Route 105 Bridge to US Route 321 Bridge section road map. A historic Cherokee town known as Watauga was located along the Little Tennessee River near present-day Franklin, North Carolina, in their homelands. The Watauga river flows over 16 miles from Wilbur Dam to Boone Lake. On the other side of the divides at Linville Gap are the headwaters of the Linville River in the Upper Catawba Watershed. Watauga River Lodge is an accommodation in Tennessee. As a result, the summer temperature of the Watauga River is approximately 52–53°F (11–12 °C) downstream of the TVA dams. Swim Guide, "Swim Drink Fish icons," and associated trademarks are owned by SWIM DRINK FISH CANADA.| See Legal. [11] Wilbur Dam was constructed on the Watauga River by the former Tennessee Electric Power Company, a privately owned utility purchased by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) in the late 1930s. Responsible management of land activities is also needed to help protect streams and rivers. The Watauga river flows over 16 miles from Wilbur Dam to Boone Lake. [15] This section requires significant rainfall to bring it up to runnable levels. The distance afloat between the TVA Watauga Reservoir and Boone Lake is approximately 20.6 miles (33.2 km).[6]. On Google’s Watauga River Map use controls to scroll, zoom, topography/terrain, charts, satellite, geography etc. Watauga Dam (6) Several high-quality mountain bogs through out the basin contain many rare plants and animals, including the bog turtle. Swim Guide is a free service that helps to connect millions of people just like you with local beaches and swimming holes.