- Big South Fork of the Cumberland River
Infobox River
river_name = Big South Fork of the Cumberland River
caption = Taken from Honey Creek overlook, 1.5 miles downstream of Clear Fork and New River junction.
origin = Confluence of the New River and theClear Fork River inScott County, Tennessee .
mouth = Confluence with theCumberland River at nearBurnside, Kentucky
basin_countries =USA
length = 121 km (75 mi) [Gnis|515542|Big South Fork of the Cumberland River]
elevation = 1,004 ft (306 m) [U.S. Geological Survey. Oneida South quadrangle, Tennessee. 1:24,000. 7.5 Minute Series. Washington D.C.: USGS, 1988.]
discharge =
watershed = The Big South Fork of the Cumberland River is a major drainage feature of theCumberland Plateau , a major tributary of theCumberland River system, a world-classwhitewater canoeing andkayaking stream, and the major feature of aBig South Fork National River and Recreation Area .The Big South Fork is formed by the confluence of the New River and the
Clear Fork River at the southern end of the Big South Fork National Recreation Area near an oil field developed bypetroleum interests. It is downstream from extensivecoal deposits. This confluence occurs approximately four miles (six km) line distance northwest of theU.S. Highway 27 bridge over the New River, inScott County, Tennessee . From here, the river runs roughly north. This area is extremely remote. The river flows through a deep gorge which has been eroded throughsandstone of thePennsylvanian Period. A largeisland , unsurprisingly called "Big Island", is located fairly near theKentucky state line. Many rapids features have names by which they are well known in the whitewater community. The stream entersMcCreary County, Kentucky shortly below this point.This area was depopulated when the National River and Recreation Area was formed. The balance of the stream course prior to its confluence with the Cumberland River downstream of the National Recreation Area is in
Daniel Boone National Forest . It is bridged by Kentucky Highway 92 near the community of Hilltop.References
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