Tallapoosa River
| Tallapoosa River | |
|---|---|
Tallapoosa River drainage (Alabama counties) in 4 lakes: Harris Lake, Martin Lake, Yates Lake & Tallasee Lake
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| Basin features | |
| Main source | 33°50′48″N 85°00′45″W / 33.84667°N 85.01250°W |
| River mouth | 32°30′09″N 86°15′48″W / 32.50250°N 86.26333°WCoordinates: 32°30′09″N 86°15′48″W / 32.50250°N 86.26333°W |
The Tallapoosa River runs 265 miles (426 km) from the southern end of the Appalachian Mountains in Georgia, United States, southward and westward into Alabama. It is formed by the confluence of McClendon Creek and Mud Creek in Paulding County, Georgia. Lake Martin at Alexander City, Alabama is a large and popular water recreation area formed by a dam on the river. The Tallapoosa joins the Coosa River about 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Montgomery near Wetumpka (in Elmore County) to form the Alabama River.
There are four hydroelectric dams on the Tallapoosa: Yates Dam, Thurlow, Martin and Harris Dam; they are important sources of electricity generation for Alabama Power (a unit of the Southern Company) and recreation for the public.
The Tallapoosa River, especially its lower course, was a major population center of the Creek Indians before the early 19th century. The contemporary name of the river is from the Creek words Talwa posa, which mean Grandmother Town. The Creek consider the Tallapoosa branch of their tribe to be one of the oldest.
Horseshoe Bend National Military Park, a U.S. National Military Park managed by the National Park Service, sits on the banks of the Tallapoosa River just upstream from Lake Martin.
The river below Thurlow Dam provides a short run of outstanding Class II, III and IV whitewater kayaking.
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Wikipedia