The Clinch River rises in southwestern Virginia and flows into East Tennessee. It is dammed twice: by Norris Dam, the first dam built by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA); and by Melton Hill Dam, the only TVA dam with a lock not located on the main channel of the Tennessee River. It empties into the Tennessee River at Kingston, Tennessee. A peninsula located at this site, Southwest Point, was the site of an early frontier fort which has been recently reconstructed. The site was important to Native Americans who once negotiated a treaty with white settlers contingent on the capital of Tennessee being moved there; the Tennessee General Assembly technically fulfilled this requirement by meeting in Kingston for one day and voting to move the state capital elsewhere.

The Clinch river above Clinton, Tennessee (tailwaters of Norris Dam) is stocked with Rainbow and Brown trout by the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency. This stretch of river is among the best trout fishing in Tennessee. The stocked fish are able to spawn here. The river is fished by wading fisherman when Norris Dam is not producing electricity. Fisherman bring their small boats our to fish for trophy Brown trout when the water is high.

See also

• List of Tennessee rivers
• List of Virginia rivers

Rivers of Tennessee | Rivers of Virginia | Tennessee River