Cheoah River

Last updated
Cheoah River
Tributary to Little Tennessee River
Cheoah River, Tapoco, NC Sept 2019.jpg
Cheoah River in Tapoco, North Carolina
Cheoah River
Location
CountryUnited States
State North Carolina
County Graham
Swain
Physical characteristics
SourceConfluence of Sweetwater and Tulula Creeks
  location Robbinsville, North Carolina
  coordinates 35°19′38.3196″N83°48′7.635″W / 35.327311000°N 83.80212083°W / 35.327311000; -83.80212083
  elevation1,993 ft (607 m) [1]
Mouth  
  location
Little Tennessee River
  coordinates
35°26′55.307″N83°56′22.65″W / 35.44869639°N 83.9396250°W / 35.44869639; -83.9396250
  elevation
1,106 ft (337 m) [1]
Length18.16 mi (29.23 km) [2]
Basin size215.14 sq mi (557.2 km2) [3]
Discharge 
  location Little Tennessee River
  average687.43 cu ft/s (19.466 m3/s) at mouth with Little Tennessee River [3]
Basin features
Progressionnorthwest
River system Little TennesseeTennesseeOhioMississippi
Tributaries 
  leftTulula Creek
Long Creek
Stillhouse Hollow
Massey Branch
Snowbird Creek
West Buffalo Creek
Charikus Branch
Farley Cove
Santeetlah Creek
Gold Mine Branch
Rock Creek
Laurel Branch
Persimmon Tree Branch
Falls Branch
Deep Creek
Frisby Branch
Barker Creek
Bear Creek
Otter Rock Branch
Yellowhammer Branch
  rightSweetwater Creek
Mountain Creek
Ground Squirrel Branch
East Buffalo Creek
Gladdens Creek
Cochran Creek
Cochran Creek
Yellow Creek
Puncheon Camp Branch
Halfmile Branch
Meadow Branch
WaterbodiesSanteetlah Lake

The Cheoah River is a tributary of the Little Tennessee River in North Carolina in the United States.

It is located in Graham County in far western North Carolina, near Robbinsville, and is approximately 20 miles in length. Its headwaters are in the Appalachian Mountains where it flows northwest near Robbinsville, to the Lake Santeetlah and flows towards the Tennessee border with a terminus at the Little Tennessee between the Cheoah Dam and Lake Calderwood.

Etymology

The name Cheoah is derived from the Cherokee Native American word for "otter." [4] According to the Geographic Names Information System, the river has also been known historically as: [5]

References

  1. 1 2 "Cheoah River Topo Map, Graham County NC (Tapoco Area)". TopoZone. Locality, LLC. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
  2. "ArcGIS Web Application". epa.maps.arcgis.com. US EPA. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
  3. 1 2 "Cheoah River Watershed Report". Waters Geoviewer. US EPA. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
  4. Chávez, Karen (2018-03-09). "With three boater deaths on the Cheoah River in a decade, is it too dangerous?". Asheville Citizen-Times . Gannett . Retrieved 2025-04-06.
  5. "GNIS Detail - Cheoah River". geonames.usgs.gov. US Geological Survey. Retrieved 16 October 2019.