Smith Fork Creek
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox river
| name = Smith Fork Creek
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| subdivision_type1 = Country
| subdivision_name1 = United States
| subdivision_type2 = State
| subdivision_name2 = Tennessee
| subdivision_type3 = County
| subdivision_name3 = Wilson, DeKalb, Smith
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| length_mi = 39
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| depth_max = {{convert|27.50|ft|m|abbr=on}}
November 7, 2017
| discharge1_location= Highway 264 bridge
(USGS gauge 1991-present)United States Geological Survey, Smith Fork at Temperance Hall, TN, https://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?site_no=03424730
| discharge1_min = {{convert|3.3|cuft/s|m3/s|abbr=on}}
August/September 2007
| discharge1_avg = {{convert|873|cuft/s|m3/s|abbr=on}}
(average daily discharge; 1991-2020)
| discharge1_max = {{convert|38700|cuft/s|m3/s|abbr=on}}
November 7, 2017
| source1 = Confluence of Knight Creek and Sunset Creek
| source1_location = SW of Statesville in Wilson County
| source1_coordinates= {{coord|36.0101|-86.1362|display=inline}}{{cite web|title=Google Maps|url=https://www.google.com/maps/|publisher=Google|accessdate=February 25, 2020}}
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| mouth = Caney Fork River
| mouth_location = Seabowisha in Smith County
| mouth_coordinates = {{coord|36.1389|-85.8696|display=inline,title}}
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| river_system = Cumberland River
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The Smith Fork Creek is a large stream that flows through Middle Tennessee in the United States, draining much of the southwestern Upper Cumberland region. It is a major tributary of the Caney Fork River, and is part of the Cumberland, Ohio and Mississippi basins. The creek is approximately {{convert|39|to|40|mi|km}} long, and its watershed covers parts of four counties as a subset of the Caney Fork watershed. The small towns and communities of Statesville, Auburntown, Gassaway, Liberty, Dowelltown, Temperance Hall, and Lancaster are drained by the creek, which empties into the Caney Fork {{convert|4.1|mi|km|}} southeast of Gordonsville.{{cite web|title=Smith Fork Creek Fishing|url=https://www.hookandbullet.com/fishing-smith-fork-creek-gordonsville-tn/|publisher=Hook and Bullet|accessdate=February 25, 2020}}
Geography
The Smith Fork rises in Wilson County about {{convert|1|mi|km}} southwest of Statesville at the confluence of the smaller Knight Creek and Sunset Creek along Greenvale Road. The stream flows directly through the town of Statesville, following Highway 267 toward DeKalb County. Before crossing into DeKalb County, Smith Fork picks up Saunders Fork, a major tributary, which drains much of northwestern Cannon County, including Auburntown. The creek then slowly meanders northeast through western DeKalb County, picking up the Clear Fork Creek in Liberty and Dry Creek in Dowelltown. Both the Clear Fork and Dry Creek begin along the northern slope of Short Mountain, the westernmost point in Tennessee over 2,000 feet (610 meters) in elevation. After passing through Temperance Hall, the creek enters Smith County and passes on the west side of Lancaster. The Smith Fork then empties into the Caney Fork River under a railroad bridge along the Nashville and Eastern Railroad, a place known as Seabowisha.
An urban legend exists that Smith Fork Creek is the longest creek in the world at {{convert|99|mi|km|}} and that a stream must be at least {{convert|100|mi|km|}} long to be called a river.{{cite web|author=Sloan, John L.|title=One mile short of a river|url=https://www.wilsonpost.com/sports/one-mile-short-of-a-river/article_2f77ef33-8705-57a2-aaa8-9395368c55fa.html|publisher=Wilson Post|date=March 11, 2014|accessdate=February 25, 2020}} However, the creek is not nearly {{convert|99|mi|km|}} long; it is less than half that long. Furthermore, many streams shorter than {{convert|100|mi|km|}} are called rivers.
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.state.tn.us/environment/water/watersheds/caney-fork-river.shtml Caney Fork River Water Quality Management Plan]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110626144832/http://cfwa-tn.org/ Caney Fork Watershed Association]
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Category:Rivers of DeKalb County, Tennessee
Category:Rivers of Smith County, Tennessee
Category:Rivers of Wilson County, Tennessee