title: Alabama River
text: The Alabama River, in the U.S. state of Alabama, is formed by the Tallapoosa and Coosa rivers, which unite about  north of Montgomery, near the town of Wetumpka.
  
  The river flows west to Selma, then southwest until, about  from Mobile, it unites with the Tombigbee, forming the Mobile and Tensaw rivers, which discharge into Mobile Bay.
  
  Description
  The run of the Alabama is highly meandering. Its width varies from , and its depth from . Its length as measured by the United States Geological Survey is , and by steamboat measurement, .
  
  The river crosses the richest agricultural and timber districts of the state.  Railways connect it with the mineral regions of north-central Alabama.
  
  After the Coosa and Tallapoosa rivers, the principal tributary of the Alabama is the Cahaba River, which is about  long and joins the Alabama River about  below Selma. The Alabama River's main tributary, the Coosa River, crosses the mineral region of Alabama and is navigable for light-draft boats from Rome, Georgia, to about  above Wetumpka (about  below Rome and  below Greensport), and from Wetumpka to its junction with the Tallapoosa. The channel of the river has been considerably improved by the federal government.
  
  The navigation of the Tallapoosa River – which has its source in Paulding County, Georgia, and is about  long – is prevented by shoals and a  fall at Tallassee, a few miles north of its junction with the Coosa. The Alabama is navigable throughout the year.
  
  The river played an important role in the growth of the economy in the region during the 19th century as a source of transportation of goods, which included slaves. The river is still used for transportation of farming produce; however, it is not as important as it once was due to the construction of roads and railways.
  
  Documented by Europeans first in 1701, the Alabama, Coosa, and Tallapoosa rivers were central to the homeland of the Creek Indians before their removal by United States forces to the Indian Territory in the 1830s.
  
  Lock and dams
  The Alabama River has three lock and dams between Montgomery and the Mobile River.  The Robert F. Henry Lock & Dam is located at river mile 236.2, the Millers Ferry Lock & Dam is located at river mile 133.0, and the Claiborne Lock & Dam is located at river mile 72.5.
  
  Gallery
  
  See also
  List of Alabama rivers
  Tallapoosa River
  Coosa River
  Mobile River
   South Atlantic-Gulf Water Resource Region
  
  References
  
  External links
  
  Allrefer.com
  
   
  Alabama placenames of Native American origin
  Rivers of Autauga County, Alabama
  Rivers of Monroe County, Alabama
  Rivers of Montgomery County, Alabama
  Rivers of Wilcox County, Alabama
  Rivers of Dallas County, Alabama
  Rivers of Mobile County, Alabama
  Rivers of Elmore County, Alabama
  Rivers of Alabama