Rivanna River

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The Rivanna River is a tributary of the James River, about 50 mi (80 km) long, in central Virginia in the United States. The Rivanna's tributaries originate in the Blue Ridge Mountains; via the James River, it is part of the watershed of Chesapeake Bay.

According to the Geographic Names Information System, the Rivanna has also been known as "Mountain Falls Creek" and "River Anna."

In the late eighteenth century the river was made navigable by the efforts of Thomas Jefferson who owned much of the lands along its upper course, eg. Shadwell and Monticello. Improvements included in the first generation (through 1830) were sluice cuts, small dams and batteaux locks. Second generation (1840-1860) improvements had long stretches of canal, serviced by large locks, many of which are still visible along the river. Shortly after the completion of the initial Rivanna navigational works Virginia requested that the river be opened to public usage. It is said Jefferson initially refused, but the state would not be denied, and the Rivanna became an integral part of the central Virginian transportation network. The route serviced a large community of farmsteads, plantations throughout Albemarle and Fluvanna counties. It also bore ever-growing numbers of industrial facilities, like those at Union Mills. It was the construction of these larger mills which prompted the great improvements to navigation. Union Mills alone featured a two and a half mile long canal and towpath, one upper and two massive lower locks, all directly upon the river. Where the Rivanna meets the James at Columbia so to did the Rivanna Connexion canal meet the James River and Kanawha Canal, merging in a series of impressive locks.

In the batteaux era Milton was the head of navigation along the river, but by the early nineteenth century horse-drawn canal boats were traveling all the way upstream to Charlottesville, where the head of navigation was located at the very point where the Fredericksburg Road (now VA 20) and Three Chopt Road (U.S. Route 250), the primary road to Richmond, met and entered the city at the Free Bridge, establishing the city as a major commercial hub.

[edit] Course

The Rivanna River is formed in Albemarle County about 4 mi (6 km) northeast of Charlottesville by the confluence of two tributaries:

The North Fork Rivanna River is formed in southwestern Greene County by the confluence of Parker Branch and the Roach River, and flows generally southwardly into Albemarle County, collecting the Lynch River.
The South Fork Rivanna River is formed in Albemarle County by the confluence of the Moormans River and the Mechums River, and flows generally eastwardly.

Below this confluence, the Rivanna flows generally southeastwardly into Fluvanna County, past the eastern boundary of Charlottesville and through the Southwest Mountains. In Fluvanna County it passes the communities of Lake Monticello and Palmyra; it enters the James River at the town of Columbia.