The Flint River, long and draining an area of , is a tributary to the
Tennessee River
The Tennessee River is the largest tributary of the Ohio River. It is approximately long and is located in the southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. The river was once popularly known as the Cherokee River, among other names, ...
. The river rises in
Lincoln County, Tennessee
Lincoln County is a county located in the south central part of the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 35,319. Its county seat and largest city is Fayetteville. The county is named for Major General Benjamin Li ...
, and flows south into
Madison County, Alabama
Madison County is located in the north central portion of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 388,153, making it the third-most populous county in Alabama. Its county seat is Huntsville. Since the mid-20th centu ...
, where most of the river's
watershed (342 sq. mi.) is located. The land within this watershed is predominantly agricultural and has experienced significant recent residential growth from the city of
Huntsville
Huntsville is a city in Madison County, Limestone County, and Morgan County, Alabama, United States. It is the county seat of Madison County. Located in the Appalachian region of northern Alabama, Huntsville is the most populous city in th ...
. The
U.S. Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey (USGS), formerly simply known as the Geological Survey, is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and ...
National Water-Quality Assessment Program is currently investigating water quality in the lower Tennessee River basin with several monitoring activities targeted in the Flint River Basin.
Geology
The Flint River rises on the southwestern fringe of the
Cumberland Escarpment and primarily drains the plains that have been created by the erosion of this fringe of the
Appalachians
The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, (french: Appalaches), are a system of mountains in eastern to northeastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. They ...
. Due to the sedimentary nature of this escarpment, which consists primarily of
sandstone
Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks.
Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates) ...
,
star blue quartz can be found in small quantities in the stream bed because it easily survives weathering of its encasing stone.
Recreation
The Hays Nature preserve offers trails and greenways along the portion of the river running through Huntsville. Much of the river's course is suitable for canoeing and kayaking, and it is included as a route of the
Alabama Scenic River Trail.
See also
*
List of rivers of Alabama
This is a list of rivers of the US state of Alabama. Alabama has over 77,000 miles of rivers and streams with more freshwater biodiversity than any other US state. Alabama's rivers are among the most biologically diverse waterways in the world. 38 ...
*
List of rivers of Tennessee
This is a list of rivers of the U.S. state of Tennessee:
By drainage basin
This list is arranged by drainage basin, with respective tributaries indented under each larger stream's name. All rivers in Tennessee ultimately flow to the Gulf of Mex ...
References
{{authority control
Rivers of Alabama
Rivers of Tennessee
Rivers of Madison County, Alabama
Huntsville-Decatur, AL Combined Statistical Area
Rivers of Lincoln County, Tennessee