Holston River

Holston River
The North Fork of the Holston River near Weber City, Virginia.
Location
CountryUnited States
StateVirginia, Tennessee
Physical characteristics
SourceNorth Fork Holston River
 • locationBland County, Virginia
 • coordinates37°03′51″N 81°16′15″W / 37.06417°N 81.27083°W / 37.06417; -81.27083[1]
 • elevation2,880 ft (880 m)
2nd sourceSouth Fork Holston River
 • locationSmyth County, Virginia
 • coordinates36°46′11″N 81°22′04″W / 36.76972°N 81.36778°W / 36.76972; -81.36778[2]
 • elevation2,900 ft (880 m)
3rd source 
 • locationKingsport, Tennessee
 • coordinates36°32′51″N 82°36′44″W / 36.54750°N 82.61222°W / 36.54750; -82.61222[3]
 • elevation1,158 ft (353 m)
MouthTennessee River
 • location
Knoxville, Tennessee
 • coordinates
35°57′33″N 83°51′0″W / 35.95917°N 83.85000°W / 35.95917; -83.85000[3]
 • elevation
814 ft (248 m)[3]
Length136 mi (219 km)[3]
Basin size3,776 sq mi (9,780 km2)[4]
Discharge 
 • locationJ. Will Taylor Bridge (Hwy. 70) near Knoxville, Tennessee, 5.5 miles (8.9 km) above the mouth(mean for water years 1931–1975, 1979-1983)[5]
 • average4,759 cu ft/s (134.8 m3/s)(mean for water years 1931–1975, 1979-1983)[5]
 • minimum44 cu ft/s (1.2 m3/s)December 1941[5]
 • maximum62,900 cu ft/s (1,780 m3/s)March 1935[5]
Basin features
River systemTennesseeOhioMississippi

The Holston River is a 136-mile (219 km) river that flows from Kingsport, Tennessee, to Knoxville, Tennessee. Along with its three major forks (North Fork, Middle Fork and South Fork), it comprises a major river system that drains much of northeastern Tennessee, southwestern Virginia, and northwestern North Carolina. The Holston's confluence with the French Broad River at Knoxville marks the beginning of the Tennessee River.

  1. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: North Fork Holston River
  2. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: South Fork Holston River
  3. ^ a b c d U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Holston River
  4. ^ U.S. Geological Survey, "Introduction to the Upper Tennessee River Basin," 11 January 2013. Accessed: 2 June 2015.
  5. ^ a b c d United States Geological Survey, Water Resources Data Tennessee: Water Year 1983, Water Data Report TN-83-1, p. 123.