Alabama's Geography and Natural Resources
Alabama lies at the southern end of the Appalachian mountains, a source of
many river headwaters. The highest point is Cheaha Mountain 734 m/ 2200ft.
The northwestern part of the state is dominated by the high, rugged
Cumberland Plateau dissected by many rivers including the Tennessee River.
The steep-sided deep valleys contain lakes formed by the damming of the
Tennessee by the Tennessee Valley Authority. The Tennessee drains north to
the Ohio River before joining with the Mississippi.
The Great Appalachian Valley lies to the east. Here the landscape is far
less rugged and the rivers meander across broad valleys. Most of the state
drains southwards to the Gulf of Mexico. The main river system draining the
state is the Mobile River drainage basin.
The rivers Coosa and Tallapoosa meet north of Montgomery to form the Alabama
River. This in turn joins with the Tombigbee to flow south for 60km / 40 mi
as the Mobile River and reach the Gulf of Mexico at the swampy Mobile delta.
The south eastern part of the state is drained by the Chattahoochee River
which, makes part of the Alabama Georgia boundary and then flows into
Florida. The Perdido River forms the boundary between Alabama and Florida.
The Pea and the Connecuah Rivers drain south directly to the Gulf of Mexico.
Little River, Weiss Reservoir, Coosa River, Logan Martin Reservoir,
Lay Lake, Lake Mitchell, Jordan Lake, (merge w/talla 2 alla).
Tallapoosa River, Little Tallapoosa River merges @ RL Harris Reservoir,
Martin Lake, (merge w/coosa 2 alla).
Coosa/Tallapoosa Rivers form Alabama River, William Danelly Reservoir,
(merge w/tombig 2 mobile).
Sipsey Fork, Lake Lewis Smith, Sipey and Mulberry confluence, (merge w/
Locust 2 warrior).
Warrior River, Bankhead Lake, Holt Lake, (merge w/tombig)
Tombigbee River > Alabama River, Mobile River.
Tensaw River. Gulf of Mexico.