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The Buffalo River is the longest unimpounded river in Middle Tennessee in the United States. It flows through the southern and western portions of that region. The Buffalo is the largest tributary of the Duck River. Canoeing is popular, especially in its middle section. The river is named for the Buffalo fish which was abundant when the first European settlers arrived.

Sources

The Buffalo rises in northern Lawrence County. U.S. Highway 43 crosses both the North and South Forks. The highway crosses the North Fork several times as it parallels the river for about . The confluence of the North and South forks about a mile west of Highway 43 is the head of the Buffalo.

Course

thumb|left|High altitude view of Tennessee River at Humphreys County, Tennessee

Below the confluence, the Buffalo trends northwest for several miles. After entering Lewis County, it intersects the Natchez Trace Parkway. The confluence with the Little Buffalo River occurs in Lewis County followed by smaller tributaries. State Route 99 parallels the river for a distance and then crosses it in the broad Texas Bottoms. In Lewis County, the river continues to meander westward. Entering northern Wayne County, the stream has several more tributaries, notably the Green River.

A few miles below the mouth of the Green River is the community of Flatwoods. Here State Route 13 bridges the Buffalo and then abruptly turns northerly for the balance of its flow. It crosses into Perry County near here. For most of its course through Perry County, the Buffalo roughly parallels State Route 13. Shortly after crossing into Humphreys County, it is bridged by Interstate 40 and then by Bakerville Road. About 8 miles north of this is the mouth of the Buffalo, its confluence with the Duck.

Watershed

The upper Buffalo River, in Lawrence County, is designated a "State Scenic River" under the Tennessee Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.

thumb|Buffalo River - panoramio

The Buffalo River watershed is composed of three sub-watersheds; two sections of the Buffalo River and the Cane Creek sub-watershed. The southeastern part of the Buffalo River watershed is HUC 0604000401. It includes the headwaters of the Buffalo plus the Little Buffalo River and both Chief Creek and Fortyeight Creek. The western side and northern one-third of the watershed is HUC 0604000402. It reaches from the Green River in Wayne County at the southern end to the mouth of the Buffalo in Humphreys County. Cane Creek, the third part of the watershed is HUC 0604000403. Upper Cane Creek begins at the headwaters of the creek near Hohenwald in Lewis County. Lower Cane Creek includes the mouth at Beardstown in Perry County.

The Buffalo River watershed contains 1,200 miles of tributary streams. Impoundments include 349 lake acres in ponds and water stored behind 10 dams. These dams are primarily in the southeastern portion of the watershed. The majority of the impounded water is in Laurel Hill Lake with plus an additional in the VFW Lake. TDEC has also identified some wetlands sites in the southeastern portion of the watershed.

There are three trails associated with the river.

  • Buffalo River – Perry County – A scenic water trail through nature –
  • Ladies Bluff Trail – Perry County – A scenic, hiking, wilderness trail – – Partially ADA compliant
  • Linden City Park Walking Trail – Perry County – Health and fitness trail – ADA compliant

River access

  • Metal Ford is accessible from the Natchez Trace Parkway about south of Tennessee State Route 20.

See also

  • List of rivers of Tennessee

References

  • USGS WaterData: Stream Gauge Buffalo River near Flat Woods
  • NWS Advanced Hydrologic Prediction near Flat Woods
  • USGS WaterData: Stream Gauge Buffalo River below Lobelville
  • NWS Advanced Hydrologic Prediction below Lobelville
  • Buffalo River Watershed (06040004) - TDEC - Water Quality Management Plan