West Tennessee waterways play a major role in the agriculture of the area.  All of West Tennessee lies in the watershed of the Mississippi River.  In addition, much of the area agriculture is impacted by both the Obion and Forked Deere rivers, which are tributaries of the Mississippi River.  Flooding is a major problem in areas which lie adjacent to the rivers; however, floodwaters also deposit valuable silt to enrich local farms.  Some farmers in the region are beginning to utilize local rivers for irrigation.  The Mississippi also provides an important avenue for transporting agricultural commodities in and out of the area.

The Mighty Mississippi	Local river grainary	Loading grain on a barge

The Obion River -- meandering to the Mississippi	The Forked Deere -- branching across West Tennessee