   the holston river is a major river system of southwestern virginia and east tennessee. the three major forks of the holston (its north, middle and south forks) rise in southwestern virginia and have their confluence near kingsport, tennessee. the north fork flows  southwest from sharon springs in bland county, virginia. the middle fork flows  from near the western border of wythe county, virginia, joining the south fork in washington county southeast of abingdon. the south fork rises near sugar grove in smyth county and flows  southwest to join the north fork at kingsport. from there the main stem of the holston river flows  roughly southwestward, just north of bays mountain, until it reaches its confluence with the french broad river just east of downtown knoxville, tennessee. this confluence is considered to be the start of the tennessee river. == power generation == the holston river valley has been greatly developed for electrical power generation, both with hydroelectric dams and coal-fired steam plants. in the upper reaches, some of these plants are controlled by private interests; in the downstream portion, they are owned by the united states government's tennessee valley authority. == area == among the dams and associated reservoirs on the south fork holston river are boone dam and boone reservoir, named for the explorer daniel boone; fort patrick henry dam and fort patrick henry reservoir, named for the revolutionary war hero; and south holston dam and south holston reservoir. cherokee dam on the holston river forms cherokee reservoir, named for the historic native americans who occupied the areas along the holston river at the time o
Landforms_of_Grainger_County,_Tennessee Landforms_of_Knox_County,_Tennessee Landforms_of_Sullivan_County,_Tennessee Landforms_of_Washington_County,_Tennessee Landforms_of_Wythe_County,_Virginia Rivers_of_Tennessee Rivers_of_Virginia Tributaries_of_the_Ohio_River Tributaries_of_the_Tennessee_River