Cumberland River Cumberland River The Cumberland River is a major waterway of the Southern United States. The river drains almost of southern Kentucky and north-central Tennessee. The river flows generally west from a source in the Appalachian Mountains to its confluence with the Ohio River near Paducah, Kentucky, and the mouth of the Tennessee River. Major tributaries include the Obey, Caney Fork, Stones, and Red rivers. Although the Cumberland River basin is predominantly rural, there are also some large cities on the river, including Nashville and Clarksville, both in Tennessee. In addition, the river system has been extensively developed for flood control,
Laurel River for flood control, although some hydroelectricity is also produced. The river was likely named for thick growth of laurel along its banks. Laurel River The Laurel River is a tributary of the Cumberland River in southeast Kentucky in the United States. The river drains a rural region in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, in parts of Whitley and Laurel Counties. The town of Corbin is located on the river about east of its mouth on the Cumberland, and near the confluence with a major tributary, the Little Laurel River. The river is impounded near its mouth by Laurel River