The Emory 

The Emory rises at the foot of mountains at the deserted mining town of Mahan, northwest of Wartburg. For the first few miles, the river is very small and is barely large enough to boat when the flow is high. The headwater system is small, and runoff is very fast. The upper section of the river runs down a rather unattractive mountain filled with roads, a deserted railroad, the remains of mining activity, and deserted farms and houses. The first few miles have rapids to Class II. The stream then becomes sluggish with brushy banks.

The stream flows beneath US 27 and 1 ½ miles further downstream, it is crossed by as county road bridge. From here to the confluence with the Obed, the overall gradient is about 23 ft. / mile. However the last 1 ½ miles drop a total of almost 70 feet. Difficulty is Class II-III.

Below the junction with the Obed, there is a succession of small Class III rapids with a gradient of 10 ft. / mile.  One mile below the junction with the Obed, Nemo Bridge spans the river. This bridge is on the Wartburg-Catoosa Wildlife Management Area road. Below the bridge, the river turns sharply left into a Class II-III rapid, Nemo Rapid.

Between Nemo Rapid and the junction with crooked Fork creek (left side) there are several Class II rapids. The distance is 4 miles. Two miles beyond Crooked Fork creek, camp Austin crosses the Emory. Below this bridge is a Class II rapid. Approximately ¼ mile below the bridge, Crab Orchard Creek enters on the right. Crooked Fork Creek, after sufficient rain, offers of the most difficult and demanding runs on the Obed-Emory System. Crab Orchard Creek has excellent scenery and non-stop Class II-III whitewater.

The Emory become quite quiet with long pools as Oakdale is approached. Below Oakdale Bridge, the gradient decreases to 5 ft. / mile. The are mild rapids all the way to Harriman on the backwaters of Watts Bar Lake.